Akron, Ohio
Encyclopedia
Akron (ˈækrən), is the fifth largest city in the U.S. state
of Ohio
and the county seat
of Summit County
. It is located in the Great Lakes region
approximately 39 miles (62.8 km) south of Lake Erie
along the Little Cuyahoga River
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area covers Summit and Portage
counties, and in 2010 had a population of 703,200. Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area
, which in 2010 had a population of 2,780,440.
Co-founded by Paul Williams and surveyor of the Connecticut Western Reserve
General Simon Perkins
, Akron was settled in 1825 as a strategic point at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal
. Williams arrived in the area during 1811 and suggested the settlement to Perkins who had been in Ohio since 1807. Due to Eliakim Crosby founding "North Akron" (Cascade) in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name until they unified in 1836 becoming incorporated later that year. In 1840 Summit County
formed from portions of Portage
, Medina, and Stark
counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania
helping to birth the stoneware
, sewer pipe
, fishing tackle
, and farming equipment industries. In 1844 Abolitionist John Brown
moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins
whom lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion
. Numerous Congregational
, Baptist
, and Presbyterian churches erected between the 1870s and World War I
were built using the Akron Plan
.
During the 1910-1920 decade Akron was the fastest growing city in the country and experienced a 201.8% population increase becoming a boom town
. World-renowned industries including the cereal
, lamp
, toy
& marble
, and tire
& rubber
were flourishing in the city at the time. It became "The Rubber Capital of the World" owing to its location along canals, railroads, and interstate
. Having landmarks such as the All-America Bridge, Akron is one of the nation's pioneer cities producing the first championship teams for the American Professional Football Association (National Football League
) and the National Basketball League
(National Basketball Association
). The University of Akron
which has both the Goodyear Polymer Center
and the National Polymer Innovation Center on campus, is the center of the Polymer Valley which is a leader in polymer
research and production. In 2001 for its contributions to the Information Age
Newsweek
named Akron 5th on the list of ten high tech
havens. It was also granted awards by World's most livable cities
, the National Civic League
, and the National Arbor Day Foundation
. Akron is also host to the All-American Soapbox Derby, the National Hamburger Festival
, Founders Day
(Alcoholics Anonymous
), Road Runner Akron Marathon, and will be the venue for some events of the 2014 Gay Games
.
Residents of Akron are referred to as "Akronites". Nicknames for the city include "The Rubber City" and "City of Invention". At one time home to all four major tire makers (Goodrich
, Goodyear
, Firestone
, General Tire
), it also gained the nickname "Tire City".
General Simon Perkins
the co-founding of a town at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal
. The name derived from the Greek word ἄκρον signifying a summit or high point. Laid out in December 1825, where the South Akron neighborhood now is; Irish laborers working on the Ohio Canal built approximately 100 cabins nearby in autumn. Due to Eliakim Crosby founding "North Akron" (Cascade) in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name up until the two merged and became an incorporated village in 1836. In 1840 Summit County
formed from portions of Portage
, Medina, and Stark
counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania
, helping birth the stoneware
, sewer pipe
, fishing tackle
, and farming equipment industries. In 1844, Abolitionist John Brown
moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins
whom lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion
. The Akron School Law of 1847 began the K-12 grade school system, which currently is used in every U.S. state.
extemporaneously delivered her speech named Ain't I A Woman?, at the Universalist Old Stone Church. Associated with the church, John R. Buchtel
founded Buchtel College in 1870, renamed the University of Akron
in 1913. Purchasing a mill in 1856, Ferdinand Schumacher
mass-produced oat bars
which the Union Army
were supplied with during the American Civil War
, becoming high in demand afterwords. Akron incorporated as a city in 1865. Philanthropist Lewis Miller, Walter Blythe, and architect Jacob Snyder designed the widely used Akron Plan
, debuting it on Akron's First Methodist Episcopal Church in 1872. Numerous Congregational
, Baptist
, and Presbyterian churches built between the 1870s and World War I
use it. In 1883, local journalist began the modern day toy
industry by founding the Akron Toy Company. A year later, the first popular toy was mass produced clay
marbles
made by Samuel C. Dyke at his shop where Lock 3 Park is now located. Others popular inventions include rubber balloons; ducks; dolls; balls, Baby Buggy Bumper, and Little Brown Jug. In 1895, the first long distance electric railway, the Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad
, began service. On 25 August 1889, the Boston Daily Globe referred to Akron with the nickname "Summit City". To assist local police, the city deployed the first police car in the U.S. running on electricity.
resulted in city officials being assaulted, two deaths, plus Columbia Hall and the City Building burning to the ground. The American trucking industry was birthed through Akron's Rubber Capital of the World era when the four major tire companies Goodrich Corporation
(1869), Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
(1898), Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
(1900), and General Tire
(1915) were headquartered in the city. The numerous jobs the rubber factories provided for deaf people led to Akron being nicknamed the "Crossroads of the Deaf". On Easter Sunday of 1913, Akron's total rainfall was recorded at 9.55 inches resulting in a flood which killed five citizens and destroyed the Ohio and Erie Canal system. From 1916-1920 10,000 school girls took part in the successful Akron Experiment, testing iodized salt to prevent goiter in what was known as the "Goiter Belt".
Rubber companies responded to housing crunches by building affordable housing for workers. Goodyear's president, Frank Seiberling
, built the Goodyear Heights
neighborhood for employees. Likewise, Harvey Firestone
built the Firestone Park
neighborhood for his employees. During the 1910-1920 decade Akron became a boom town
being America's fastest growing city with a 201.8% increase in population. Of the 208,000 citizens, almost one-third were immigrants (also Clark Gable
) and their children from places including Europe
and West Virginia
. In 1925 Goodyear's subsidiary Zeppelin Company
began manufacturing airships used in World War II
and eventually blimps for advertising purposes. Akron again grew when Kenmore
was annexed by voter approval on November 6, 1928. Found hiding under a bed at one of his hideouts in the city, notorious bank robber Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy
" Floyd was arrested under the name "Frank Mitchell" in March 1930. Goodyear became America's top tire manufacturer after merging with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company
in 1935. Lasting five weeks and consisting of roughly 5,000 strikers including union sympathizers from other factories and neighboring states, the Akron Rubber Strike of 1936
successfully used "sit-down" tactic being organized by the United Rubber Workers. During the 1950s-60s Akron surged as use of the automobile did. The historic Rubber Bowl
was used by the National Guard of the United States as a base during the racial Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968
. Like many other industries of the Rust Belt
, both the tire and rubber experienced major decline resulting from multiple labor union strikes occurring from the 70s-80s. By the early 1990s, Goodyear was the last major tire manufacturer based in Akron.
which is home to the Goodyear Polymer Center
and National Polymer Innovation Center, and first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. Due to its contributions to the Information Age
, Newsweek
's listed Akron 5th of ten high tech
havens in 2001. In 2008 "City of Invention" was added to the seal when the All-America City Award
was received for the 3rd time. Summit County
has received the nickname "Meth Capital of Ohio" ranking 3rd in the number of registered sites due mainly to homemade methamphetamine
in Akron. In September 2009 it was announced that some events of the 2014 Gay Games
will use the city as a venue.
approximately 39 miles (62.8 km) south of Lake Erie
, on the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau
. It is bordered by Cuyahoga Falls
on the north, and Barberton
on the south. It is the center of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area which covers Summit
and Portage
counties, and the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area
. Located on the western end of the plateau, the topography of Akron includes rolling hills and varied terrain. The Ohio and Erie Canal
passes through the city, separating the east from west. Akron has the only biogas
facility in the United States that produces methane
through the decomposition process of sludge to create electricity. According to the United States Census Bureau
, as of 2000 the city has a total area of 62.1 square miles (160.8 km²), of which 62.1 square miles (160.8 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is water.
Dfa), with cold but changeable winters, wet, cool springs, warm (sometimes hot) and humid summers, and cool, rather dry autumns. Precipitation is fairly well distributed through the year, but summer tends to have the most rainfall (and also, somewhat paradoxically, the most sunshine), and autumn the least. The mid-autumn through early-spring months tend to be quite cloudy, with sometimes less than 30% possible sunshine. The cloudiest month is December, and the sunniest month is usually July, which is also the wettest month because most of the precipitation occurs with brief, intense thunderstorms. Winters tend to be cold, with average January high temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C), and average January lows of 17 °F (−8 °C), with considerable variation in temperatures. During a typical January, high temperatures of over 50 °F (10 °C) are just as common as low temperatures of below 0 °F (−18 °C). Snowfall is lighter than the snowbelt
areas to the north, but is still somewhat influenced by Lake Erie
. Akron-Canton Airport generally averages about 46.7 inches of snow per winter. During a typical winter, temperatures drop below 0 °F (−18 °C) on about 6 occurrences, generally only during the nighttime hours. Average July high temperatures of 82 °F (27 °C), and average July lows of 61 °F (16 °C) are normal. Summer weather is more stable, generally humid with thunderstorms fairly common. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) about 9 times each summer, on average. In hot summers, such as 1988, however, as many as 30 days over 90 °F (32 °C) have been observed, and in cooler summers, such as the summer of 2000, the temperature may never reach 90 °F (32 °C). Temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) are rare (about once per decade on average), most recently occurring on several occasions in the hot summer of 1988. The all-time record high in Akron of 104°F (40°C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was set on January 19, 1994. Normal yearly precipitation
based on the 30-year average from 1971-2000 is 38.56 inches (979.4 mm).
, with downtown being centered on it. Many of the city's government and civic buildings, including City Hall, the Summit County Courthouse, the Akron-Summit County Public Library
, and John S. Knight Center
. The First Methodist Episcopal Church first used the Akron Plan
in 1872, the plan later gained popularity, being used in many Congregationalists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. For remodeling all public schools to serve as community centers year round, the city was awarded with the City Livability Award
in 2008. The National Arbor Day Foundation
designated Akron as a Tree City USA
for the 14th time, the latest being 2009. The city is home to one of the last remaining civic theaters. Along the locks, the city has a path paved with rubber. Completed in 1931, Akron's tallest building, the FirstMerit Tower
, features the art deco
style and is covered in glazed architectural terra-cotta
. Standing 330 feet (100.6 m), it is built on top of the Hamilton Building, completed in 1900 in the neo-gothic style. Near the turn of the millennium the tower was given a $2.5 million facelift, including a $1.8 million restoration of the tower's terra-cotta, brick and limestone. The top of the building has a television broadcast tower, formerly used by WAKR-TV (now WVPX-TV) and WAKR-AM. The antenna reaches 134.7 metres (441.9 ft).Located on the University of Akron
campus, the Goodyear Polymer Center
, is glass twin towers connected by walkways. The university also utilizes the former Quaker Oats factory as a hotel shopping centers called Quaker Square
. The Akron Art Museum
, remodeled in 2007, is divided into three parts known as the “Crystal”, “Gallery Box”, and the “Roof Cloud”. The contrasting neighborhoods of Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park, were built during the rubber industry to house workers and their families.
Maple Valley covers the west end of Copley Road, before reaching I-77. Along this strip are several businesses using the name, as well as the Maple Valley Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library
. Spicertown falls under the blanket of University Park, this term is used frequently to describe the student-centered retail and residential area around East Exchange St. and Spicer, near the University of Akron. West Hill is roughly bounded by West Market on the north, West Exchange on the south, Downtown on the East, and Rhodes Ave. on the West. It features many stately older homes, particularly in the recently recognized Oakdale Historic District.
, Barberton
, Cuyahoga Falls
, Stow
, Tallmadge
, Silver Lake
, Green
, and Mogadore
. Akron formed Joint Economic Development District
s with Springfield
, Coventry
, Copley
, and Bath
(in conjunction with Fairlawn) townships.
, the largest of three Akron performance halls. Regular acts include the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Tuesday Musical Club, and Children's Concert Society. World-class performances events include Broadway musicals, ballets, comedies, lectures, entertainers, attracting 400,000 visitors annually. The hall seats 2955, divided among three tiers. To maintain top-notch acoustic sound, the counter-weighted ceiling is adjustable, altering the physical dimensions of the hall. Located downtown is the Akron Civic Theater
, which opened in 1929 as the Loewe's Theater. This atmospheric-style theatre was designed by John Eberson and contains many Moorish features including arches and decorative tiles. It originally featured elaborate wood carvings, alabaster statuary, and European antiques. The theater got its current name in 2001 after remodeling. Behind it on the canal is the Lock 3 Park amphitheater, which annually host the First Night
in Akron. The Akron Art Museum
also located downtown, features art produced since 1850 along with national and international exhibitions. It opened in 1922 as the Akron Art Institute located in the basement of the Akron-Summit County Public Library
. It moved to its current location at the renovated 1899 old post office building in 1981. In 2007, the museum more than tripled in size with the addition of the John S. and James L. Knight Building, which received the 2005 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum while still under construction.
Built between 1912 and 1915 for Frank Seiberling
, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
ranks seventh on the list of Largest Historic Homes in the United States
. Located within the Sand Run Metro Parks, the 104 acre (0.42087344 km²) F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm features a visitors' center, hiking trails, three ponds, gardens, and an array of special programs throughout the year. The Akron Police Museum displays mementos including items from Pretty Boy Floyd
, whose gang frequented the city. The city is home to several other galleries and museums include American Marble and Toy Museum and the Don Drumm Studios & Gallery.
films. Inducted into the National Film Registry
, Dance, Girl, Dance
(1940), tells the story of two dancers from Akron who go to New York City
. My Name is Bill W.
(1989) tells the true story of Bill Wilson
who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous
, which held its first meetings at the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
and has over two million members today. The program's connection to the Saint Thomas Hospital is referenced in an episode of the television series Prison Break
(2005), where Michael Scofield
talks to Sara Tancredi
on the phone while there. The Akron Armory is used as a venue for a female wrestling team in ...All the Marbles (1981). More Than a Game
(2009) documents National Basketball Association
player Lebron James
and his St. Vincent – St. Mary High School high school basketball team's journey. In Drake
's music video to Forever
(2009) off the More Than a Game Soundtrack (2009), the iconic Goodyear
's logo on top the company's theater is shown. The city has been the subject of many different portrayals in media, from "Hell on Earth" in the television series I'm In Hell (2007), to the whereabouts of a holy woman in The Virgin of Akron, Ohio (2007). Henry Spivey of My Own Worst Enemy
(2008), travels to Akron through the series many times. George Costanza
in an episode of Seinfeld (1989), flies to the city. M.Y.O.B. (2008) is centered on an Akron runaway girl named Riley Veatch. Jake Foley of Jake 2.0
(2003), Pickles family of the Rugrats
(1991), and J.Reid of In Too Deep (1999) are also natives of the city.
, a book of poetry written by native and former Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
, Rita Dove
, tells the story of her grandmother and grandfather who separately moved from the South
to the city, where they lived through the Great Depression
and the rest of their lives. The city is also the setting for the novel The Coast of Akron, by former editor of Esquire
, Adrienne Miller
. To reflect Akron's decline during the 80s, Native Chrissie Hynde
wrote the Pretenders song "My City Was Gone
". The Black Keys
album title Rubber Factory
refers to the former Goodrich Corporation
rubber factory in which it was recorded. Akron serves as a setting in the first-person-shooter PC platform video game, No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In H.A.R.M.'s Way
.
, also known as the Ohio Grassman and Kenmore Grassman, is an alleged bipedal, ape-like creature reportedly seen in Akron, primarily around Kenmore
. In 1995, the possible creature got its name when researchers from Cincinnati came to Akron due to claims of local residents who said an unusual creature was living in a swampy area of the Kenmore neighborhood off Manchester Road.
Akron is home to many festivals throughout the year. In mid July, the National Hamburger Festival
consists of different vendors serving original recipe hamburgers and has a Miss Hamburger contest. Lock 3 Park annually hosts the First Night
Akron celebration on New Year's Eve
. The park also annually hosts the Italian Festival and the "Rib, White & Blue" food festival in July. Founders Day
is celebrated annually due to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous
within the city. In Highland Square, Akron hosts a convergence of art, music, and community annually called Art in the Square, a festival featuring local artists and musicians.
cuisine. Ferdinand Schumacher
created the first American oatmeal
and is a pioneer of breakfast cereal
. He also founded the Empire Barley Mill and German Mills American Oatmeal Company, which would later merge several times with other companies, with the result being the Quaker Oats Company
. The Menches Brothers, are the disputed inventors of the waffle
ice cream cone
, caramel corn
, and hamburger
. The beer, BORIS The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, brewed by the Hoppin' Frog Breweing Company located in the city, won 1st place in the Imperial Stout category of the 2008 Great American Beer Festival
, and the company was named the 24th best brewer in the world for 2010 by RateBeer.com Native singer Chrissie Hynde
owns The VegiTerranean restaurant in the Northside Lofts, and other notable eateries in Akron are Talamos Pizza with its famous jojo's and garlic dip recipe by mama Talamo. Other places include: Luigi's, Mary Coyle Ice Cream, Metro Burger, Swenson's, Ken Stewart's, The Diamond Grille, Tangier, Menches Brothers Restaurant, Louie's, Duffy's, New Era, The Office Bistro, Strickland's Frozen Custard
, and Hamburger Station. The rivalry between Swenson's and Skyway, aired on Iron Chef
Michael Symon
's Food Feuds
, which Swenson's won.
, which refers to the grass strip between a sidewalk and street, and the unofficial term Akroness,which has been defined as "simultaneously possessing a look of prolonged neglect and frequent use."
Akron's professional sports
teams include the Akron Aeros
(Minor League Baseball
), Akron Racers
(National Pro Fastpitch
), The Rubber City Rollergirls (Roller Derby) and NEO Roller Derby,(Women's Flat Track Derby Association
) (Roller derby
). Local sporting facilities include Canal Park
, Firestone Stadium
, Summit County Fairgrounds Arena Complex
, InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, James A. Rhodes Arena
, and the Lee Jackson Field.
The Aeros won the Eastern League Championship six times, the last being in 2009. Nearly growing 87% that year, the Akron Road Runner Marathon has consecutively gained participants since beginning. It was announced that Akron will host some of the events of the 2014 Gay Games
including the marathon, the men's and women's golf tournaments at Firestone Country Club
, and softball at Firestone Stadium. The All-American Soap Box Derby taken place each year at the Derby Downs
since 1936. The Firestone Country Club, annually host the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
and in the past hosted tournaments including the PGA Championship
, American Golf Classic
, and Rubber City Open Invitational
. The Akron & National Marble Tournament was created in 1923, by Roy W. Howard, being owned by the Akron District Marbles Tournament and the Akron Beacon Journal
sometime before it ended permanently in the 1960s. On January 7, 1938, Akron became the birthplace of women's professional Mud Wrestling
, in a match including Professional Wrestling
and Wrestling Observer Hall of Famer, Mildred Burke
. The Professional Bowlers Association
started in the city during 1958. LeBron James
' King for Kids bike-a-thon feature James riding with kids through the city each June. In November, the city host the Home Run for the Homeless marathon.
), Goodyear Silents
(deaf semi-professional football), Akron Black Tyrites
(Negro League), Akron Americans
(International Hockey League), Akron Lightning
(International Basketball League
), and the Akron Wingfoots
(National Basketball League
), who won the first NBL Championship
and the International Cup
three times. The Akron Firestone Non-Skids (National Basketball League
), later won the title consecutively, in 1939 and 1940.
, the city is also home to the Akron Zips
, who compete in the NCAA
in a variety of sports at the Division I level. Before completion of the InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, the football team
played at the historic Rubber Bowl
, former home of the 1920 National Football League Championship winners, the Akron Professionals. The men's basketball team
appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1986, 2009, and 2011. In 2009, the Zips men's soccer team
completed the regular-season undefeated, then won the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 2010. Zippy
, one of the eight female NCAA mascots, won the Capital One
National Mascot of the Year contest in 2007.
. Several of the parks along on the locks of the canal. Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron is the city's hub for entertainment. It is commonly used as an outdoor amphitheater hosting live musical entertainment, festivals, and special events year-round. The park was created in the early 21st century to provide green space within the city of Akron. The Ohio-Erie Canal can still be seen flowing behind the stage where there was once a boat yard and dry dock. Later, a pottery factory stood there until the O’Neil’s parking deck was built in the current location. More than 65,000 guests use the park for recreation annually. During Lock 3 Live, it holds concerts for almost every musical genre, including alternative, R&B, reggae, gospel, country, pop, jazz, and classic rock. Some festivals the park hosts throughout the year include Soap Box Derby opening ceremonies, firefighter competitions, charity events, tournaments, and animal events. From November through February, Lock 3 Park is transformed into an outdoor ice-skating rink. Adjacent to the Derby Downs race hill is a 19,000-square-foot (1,800 m2) outdoor skatepark. The park features concrete ramps, including two bowls going as deep as 7 feet (2.1 m), a snake run, two hips, a stair set with handrail, many smaller quarter pipes and a variety of grind boxes. Positioned just a few feet from the Akron Skatepark is a Pro BMX course where organized races are often held in the warmer months.
The Ohio and Erie Canal towpath is a regional bike and hike trail that follows the canal. A bridge was completed in 2008, crossing Route 59/The Innerbelt, which connects the towpath proper with bike routes painted onto streets downtown, thus completing another step towards the connection of Cleveland and East Liverpool with a hike and bike trail. The State of Ohio plans to reconstruct the trail which once ran completely through Ohio, to New Philadelphia from Cleveland. The trail features a floating observation deck section over Summit Lake. It is a popular tourist attraction, as it attracts over 2 million visits annually. The Portage Hike and Bike Trail, when fully complete, will connect with the hike and bike trails in the county.
and the weekly West Side Leader newspapers and the monthly magazine Akron Life & Leisure. The Buchtelite newspaper is published by the University of Akron
.
Akron is less than 40 miles (64.4 km) from Cleveland
, and forms part of the Cleveland-Akron (Canton)
media market
, the 18th largest market in the US. However, WAOH-LP
, WEAO (PBS), WVPX
(ION), and WBNX-TV
(CW
) are licensed to Akron. WAOH and WEAO serve the city of Akron specifically, while WBNX and WVPX identify themselves as Akron/Cleveland, serving the entire Northeast Ohio market. Akron has no native news broadcast, having lost its only news station when the former WAKC became WVPX in 1996. WVPX and Cleveland's WKYC later provided a joint news program, which was cancelled in 2005.
On the radio side, Akron is served by WZIP
88.1 (Top 40 / College – University of Akron
), WAPS 91.3 (Varied formats: local artists, modern rock, blues, jazz and public radio), WAKR
1590 (Oldies), WKDD
98.1 (Adult contemporary), WHLO
640 (News/talk), WJMP
1520 (News/Talk), WKSU 89.7 (National Public Radio, operated from the campus of Kent State University
), WONE
97.5 (Classic rock), WNIR-FM 100.1 (News/talk), WSTB
88.9 (Alternative), WARF
1350 (Fox Sports Ohio), WQMX
94.9 (Country), WRQK 106.9 (Rock), and WHOF
101.7 (AC).
and rubber
industry during the 20th century with the founding of Goodrich
, Firestone
, General Tire
, also the Goodyear
merger with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company
gained the status of, "Rubber Capital of the World". Akron has won economic awards such as for City Livability and All-American City, and deemed a high tech
haven greatly contributing to the in the Information Age
. Current Fortune 500
companies headquartered in the city include the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
and FirstEnergy. In addition, the city is the headquarters to a number of other notable companies such as A. Schulman, GOJO
, Advanced Elastomer Systems, FirstMerit Bank, Roadway Express, Myers Industries, Acme Fresh Market
, Sterling Jewelers
, and Lockheed Martin
, Maritime Systems & Sensors Division. Goodyear, the fifth-largest private employer in Summit County, is currently constructing a new headquarters in the city. The project referred to as, Akron Riverwalk, will feature a large retail and commercial development area. The project began in 2007, but was put on hold due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010, and is now continuing. Bridgestone
is building a new technical center, with state-of-the-art R&D labs, where its operation will relocate to by 2012. The Eastern Ohio
Division
of KeyBank, which has six branches in the city, built a regional headquarters in Downtown. The city has a free WiFi
corridor centered in downtown. Neighborhoods in range include Goodyear Heights, East Akron, North Hill, Firestone Park, Kenmore, and West Akron. Some frequented locations in the area include, Akron-Summit County Public Library
, John S. Knight Center
, and the Intermodel Transit Center.
scientists became world renowned for their research done at the Goodyear Polymer Center
. The first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering was begun by the university. In 2010, the National Polymer Innovation Center opened on campus.
Akron's adult hospitals are owned by two health systems, Summa Health System
and Akron General Health System. Summa Health System operates Akron City Hospital and St. Thomas Hospital, which in 2008, were recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report
. Summa is recognized as having one of the best orthopaedics programs in the nation with a ranking of 28th. Akron General Health System operates Akron General Medical Center, which in 2009, was recognized as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report
. Akron Children's Hospital
is an independent entity that specializes in pediatric care and burn care. In 1974, Dr. Howard Igel and Dr. Aaron Freeman successfully grew human skin in a lab to treat burn victims, making Akron Children's Hospital the first hospital in the world to achieve such a feat. Akron City and Akron General hospitals are designated Level I Trauma Centers.
in 1920, but reverted to its old form in 1924.
The current mayor of Akron is Don Plusquellic
, who is currently serving his fifth term and was the President of the United States Conference of Mayors
during 2004. Plusquellic is also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
, a bi-partisan group dedicated to making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets. In 2008, he was selected along with other mayors, by President Barack Obama
to work on solving the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 at the local level. He defeated a recall
attempt in 2009.
, negotiating a treaty with Native Americans
to establish a mail route from the Connecticut Western Reserve
to Detroit in 1807, others partook in historic humanitarian affairs in Akron. Aside from being part of the Underground Railroad
, when active, John Brown
was a resident, today having two landmarks (John Brown House) (John Brown Monument) dedicated to him. During the 1851 Women's Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth
delivered her speech entitled "Ain't I A Woman?". In 1905, a statue of an Indian named Unk was erected on Portage Path, which was part of the effective western boundary of the White and Native American lands from 1785 to 1805. The Summit County
chapter of the Ku Klux Klan
reported having 50,000 members, making it the largest local chapter in the country during the 20th century. In 1905, the sheriff, county officials, mayor of Akron, judges, county commissioners, and most members of Akron's school board were members. The Klan's influence in the city's politics eventually ended after Wendell Willkie
, arrived and challenged them. Race took part in two of Akron's major riots, the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Ave. Riots of 1968. Others giving speeches on race, in the city include Dr. W.E.B. DuBois (1920) and President Bill Clinton
(1997). In 1971, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc.
was founded in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter, with James R. Williams
as chairman. The centerpiece, Henry Arthur Callis Tower, is located in the Channelwood Village area of the city. In 2008, 91 year old Akron native, Addie Polk, became the poster child
of the financial crisis of 2007–2010, after shooting herself.
As of the census
of 2000, there were 217,074 people, 90,116 households, and 53,709 families residing in the city. The population density
was 3,497.3 people per square mile (1,350.3/km²). There were 97,315 housing units at an average density of 1,567.9 per square mile (605.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.22% White, 28.48% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races
, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population. The top 5 largest ancestries include German
(18.1%), Irish
(11.5%), English
(7.2%), Italian
(6.8%), and American
(6.4%).
There were 90,116 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,835, and the median income for a family was $39,381. Males had a median income of $31,898 versus $24,121 for females. The per capita income
for the city was $17,596. About 14.0% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Akron has a metropolitan population of 694,960 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area, which was the 14th largest in the country with a population of over 2.9 million according to the 2000 Census.
, elementary
, and secondary education
is mainly provided by the Akron City School District. Planning of the district began in 1840, when Ansel Miller suggested to build free public schools for all children in the city, paid for by property taxes. After enduring much opposition by citizens, in 1843 Miller joined with Rev. Isaac Jennings. Three years later, Jennings became the chairman of a committee of citizens who discussed how to improve the school system. On November 21, 1846, their plan was approved unanimously by the citizens. The Ohio Legislature adopted the plan, called "An act for the support and better regulation of the Common Schools of the Town of Akron" on February 8, 1847. Akron’s first public schools were established in the fall of 1847 and were led by Mortimer Leggett. The first annual report showed that it cost less than $2 a year to educate a child. In 1857 the cost of running the schools for a year was $4,200. The primary schools were taught by young women, which the Akron Board of Education justified because they could be paid less and were under the supervision of a male superintendent. From 1877 to 1952, Akron graduated students semi-annually instead of annually. 9% of the city’s school-aged population were born in other countries in 1888. In the 1920s, an Americanization program was designed to help the many Akron students who were first-generation Americans. Classes were in the rubber companies and some of the schools. A “continuation school” began for working boys and girls who were required by law to have at least four hours of schooling a week. In 1924, Akron's platoon schools attracted visitors from all over the country. Being a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan
during the decade, the majority of school board and government officials were members. Their influence ended with the arrival of Wendell Willkie
. During the city's 1950s boom town phase, Akron schools grew eight times faster than the city’s population. In 1967, Kenmore launched the Air Force JROTC. In 1971, Jennings piloted the middle school model, which moved ninth-graders to the senior high school. In 1984, all-day kindergarten was piloted at Seiberling, Rankin and Hatton schools, and Ellet, East and Garfield high schools piloted the in-school suspension program. The district received an A+ evaluation from the state in 1987.
The city is home to the University of Akron
, which the Princeton Review listed among the Best in the Midwest, in 2008. Originally Buchtel College, the school is home the Goodyear Polymer Center
and the National Polymer Innovation Center. All Akron Public Schools are currently going through a 15-year, $800 million rebuilding process. In recent times the city’s schools have been moved from “Academic Watch” to “Continuous Improvement” by the Ohio Department of Education. Akron also has many private, parochial and charter schools. Akron Public Schools made headlines in 2004 when a freshman student of Akron Digital Academy, the district’s own online charter school, was not allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, an event later covered and satirized by The Daily Show
. National Basketball Association
player LeBron James
, attended St. Vincent - St. Mary High School
.
, which in 2010, had its busiest January of all time with nearly 107,000 passengers. The Akron-Canton Airport is a commercial Class C
airport
located in the city of Green
, roughly 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Akron operated jointly by Stark
and Summit
counties. Two low-fare airlines, Frontier Airlines
and AirTran Airways
, have begun serving Akron-Canton in recent years, making it an alternative for travellers to or from the Cleveland area as well. Akron Fulton International Airport
is a general aviation
airport located in and owned by the City of Akron that serves private planes. It first opened in 1929 and has operated in several different capacities since then. The airport had commercial scheduled airline service until the 1950s and it is now used for both cargo and private planes.
It is home of the Lockheed Martin Airdock
, where the Goodyear blimps were originally stored and maintained. The Goodyear blimps are now housed outside of Akron in a facility on the shores of Wingfoot Lake in nearby Suffield Township
.
.
and Akron and the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority
(PARTA) runs an express route connecting the University of Akron
with Kent State University
.
Metro RTA operates out of the Intermodal Transit Center located on South Broadway Street. This facility, which opened on January 18, 2009, also houses inter-city bus transportation available through Greyhound Lines
.
list. Preliminary Ohio crime statistics show aggravated assaults increased by 45% during 2007. Akron became the first city in the United States to train and equip officers with the CornerShot
, to aid them in fighting crime. The city invented the first patrol cars to assist officers.
Historically, organized crime
operated in the city with the presence of the Black Hand led by Rosario Borgio
, once headquartered on the city's north side in the first decade of the 20th century and the Walker-Mitchell mob, of which Pretty Boy Floyd
was a member. Akron has experienced several riots in its history including, the Riot of 1900
and the Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968
.
("meth") in Akron greatly contributed to Summit County
becoming known as the "Meth Capital of Ohio". The county ranks third in the nation in the number of registered meth sites. During the 1990s, motorcycle gang the Hells Angels
sold the drug from bars frequented by members. Between January 2004 and August 2009, the city had significantly more registered sites than any other city in the state. Authority believe a disruption of a major Mexican meth operation, attributed to the increase of it being made locally. In 2007, APD received a grant to help continue its work with other agencies and jurisdictions to support them in ridding the city of meth labs. The Akron Police Department coordinates with the Summit County Drug Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration, forming the Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Response Team.
Simon Perkins
co-founded Akron in 1825. His son, Colonel Simon Perkins
, while living in Akron during the same time as abolitionist John Brown
, went into business with Brown.
Noted athletes to have come from Akron include National Basketball Association
players LeBron James
and Stephen Curry
, Basketball Hall of Fame
rs Gus "Honeycomb" Johnson
and Nate "The Great" Thurmond
, Baseball Hall of Famer Thurman Munson
, International Boxing Hall of Fame
r Gorilla Jones
, and former Northwestern University
and Notre Dame
coach Ara Parseghian
.
Performing artists to come from Akron include bands such as Devo
and The Black Keys
, singers Chrissie Hynde
, James Ingram
, David Allan Coe famous outlaw country singer, actors and actresses Frank Dicopoulos
, David McLean, Melina Kanakaredes
, and Elizabeth Franz
. Tool's Maynard James Keenan
is also from Akron.
Owner of over 400 patents, native Stanford R. Ovshinsky invented the widely used nickel-metal hydride battery. Richard Smalley
, winner of a Nobel Prize in Chemistry
for discovering buckminsterfullerene
(buckyballs) was born in the city during 1943. Another native, the second female astronaut in Outer space
Judith Resnik died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
and has the Resnik Moon crater
named in her honor.
:
U.S. state
A U.S. state is any one of the 50 federated states of the United States of America that share sovereignty with the federal government. Because of this shared sovereignty, an American is a citizen both of the federal entity and of his or her state of domicile. Four states use the official title of...
of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and the county seat
County seat
A county seat is an administrative center, or seat of government, for a county or civil parish. The term is primarily used in the United States....
of Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
. It is located in the Great Lakes region
Great Lakes region (North America)
The Great Lakes region of North America, occasionally known as the Third Coast or the Fresh Coast , includes the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario...
approximately 39 miles (62.8 km) south of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
along the Little Cuyahoga River
Cuyahoga River
The Cuyahoga River is located in Northeast Ohio in the United States. Outside of Ohio, the river is most famous for being "the river that caught fire", helping to spur the environmental movement in the late 1960s...
. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 199,110. The Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area covers Summit and Portage
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
counties, and in 2010 had a population of 703,200. Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area
Combined Statistical Area
The United States Office of Management and Budget defines micropolitan and metropolitan statistical areas. Metropolitan and micropolitan statistical areas consist of one or more counties...
, which in 2010 had a population of 2,780,440.
Co-founded by Paul Williams and surveyor of the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
General Simon Perkins
Simon Perkins
General Simon Perkins was an early settler, businessman and surveyor of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, which would later become northeast Ohio. He co-founded Akron, Ohio with Paul Williams in 1825. He served as a brigadier-general during the War of 1812....
, Akron was settled in 1825 as a strategic point at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
. Williams arrived in the area during 1811 and suggested the settlement to Perkins who had been in Ohio since 1807. Due to Eliakim Crosby founding "North Akron" (Cascade) in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name until they unified in 1836 becoming incorporated later that year. In 1840 Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
formed from portions of Portage
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
, Medina, and Stark
Stark County, Ohio
Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 375,586. It is included in the Canton-Massillon, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area....
counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
helping to birth the stoneware
Stoneware
Stoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware with a fine texture. Stoneware is made from clay that is then fired in a kiln, whether by an artisan to make homeware, or in an industrial kiln for mass-produced or specialty products...
, sewer pipe
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
, fishing tackle
Fishing tackle
Fishing tackle, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples are hooks, lines, sinkers, floats, rods, reels, baits, lures, spears, nets, gaffs, traps, waders and tackle...
, and farming equipment industries. In 1844 Abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins
Colonel Simon Perkins
"Colonel" Simon Perkins was an businessman, farmer, state senator, and entrepreneur. He was born in Warren, Ohio in 1805, but spent most of his life in Akron, Ohio. He was the oldest son of Simon Perkins, the founder of the City of Akron...
whom lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion
Perkins Stone Mansion
The Perkins Stone Mansion is a historic house museum in Akron, Ohio, USA.- Overview :The mansion is owned and operated by The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio and is also the organization's headquarters. It was built from 1835 to 1837 by Col. Simon Perkins, son of Akron's founder...
. Numerous Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, and Presbyterian churches erected between the 1870s and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
were built using the Akron Plan
Akron Plan
Akron Plan for church buildings was popularized by architectural pattern books in the late 19th and early 20th century. The plan is typified by an auditorium form worship space surrounded by connecting Sunday school classrooms spaces on one or two levels. The plan promotes efficiency of movement...
.
During the 1910-1920 decade Akron was the fastest growing city in the country and experienced a 201.8% population increase becoming a boom town
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
. World-renowned industries including the cereal
Cereal
Cereals are grasses cultivated for the edible components of their grain , composed of the endosperm, germ, and bran...
, lamp
Lamp
Lamp is a light source, while LAMP is an acronym.-Lamps:Lamp may refer to one of the following:*Oil lamp, the original use of the term*Kerosene lamp, a lamp burning liquid petroleum...
, toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
& marble
Marble
Marble is a metamorphic rock composed of recrystallized carbonate minerals, most commonly calcite or dolomite.Geologists use the term "marble" to refer to metamorphosed limestone; however stonemasons use the term more broadly to encompass unmetamorphosed limestone.Marble is commonly used for...
, and tire
Tire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
& rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
were flourishing in the city at the time. It became "The Rubber Capital of the World" owing to its location along canals, railroads, and interstate
Interstate
An Interstate is a type of high-speed, limited-access highway in the United StatesInterstate may also refer to:-Media:*Interstate 60 , a metaphysical comedy/drama road film...
. Having landmarks such as the All-America Bridge, Akron is one of the nation's pioneer cities producing the first championship teams for the American Professional Football Association (National Football League
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
) and the National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
(National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
). The University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
which has both the Goodyear Polymer Center
Goodyear Polymer Center
The Goodyear Polymer Center is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. It consists of 12-story and 9-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction.-Facilities:...
and the National Polymer Innovation Center on campus, is the center of the Polymer Valley which is a leader in polymer
Polymer
A polymer is a large molecule composed of repeating structural units. These subunits are typically connected by covalent chemical bonds...
research and production. In 2001 for its contributions to the Information Age
Information Age
The Information Age, also commonly known as the Computer Age or Digital Age, is an idea that the current age will be characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously...
Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
named Akron 5th on the list of ten high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
havens. It was also granted awards by World's most livable cities
World's most livable cities
The world's most liveable cities is an informal name given to any list of cities as they rank on a reputable annual survey of living conditions. Two examples are the Mercer Quality of Living Survey and The Economists World's Most Livable Cities .Liveability rankings are designed for use by...
, the National Civic League
National Civic League
The National Civic League is an American non-profit organization that advocates for transparency, effectiveness, and openness in local government...
, and the National Arbor Day Foundation
National Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors...
. Akron is also host to the All-American Soapbox Derby, the National Hamburger Festival
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
, Founders Day
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
(Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
), Road Runner Akron Marathon, and will be the venue for some events of the 2014 Gay Games
Gay Games
The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
.
Residents of Akron are referred to as "Akronites". Nicknames for the city include "The Rubber City" and "City of Invention". At one time home to all four major tire makers (Goodrich
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
, Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
, Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
, General Tire
General Tire
The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.General Tire was founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William F. O'Neil. Products included the low-pressure "General Balloon Jumbo" and the "Dual 90" tire...
), it also gained the nickname "Tire City".
History
In 1811, Paul Williams settled near the corner of what is now Buchtel and Broadway and suggested to surveyor of the Connecticut Western ReserveConnecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
General Simon Perkins
Simon Perkins
General Simon Perkins was an early settler, businessman and surveyor of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, which would later become northeast Ohio. He co-founded Akron, Ohio with Paul Williams in 1825. He served as a brigadier-general during the War of 1812....
the co-founding of a town at the summit of the developing Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
. The name derived from the Greek word ἄκρον signifying a summit or high point. Laid out in December 1825, where the South Akron neighborhood now is; Irish laborers working on the Ohio Canal built approximately 100 cabins nearby in autumn. Due to Eliakim Crosby founding "North Akron" (Cascade) in 1833, "South" was added to Akron's name up until the two merged and became an incorporated village in 1836. In 1840 Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
formed from portions of Portage
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
, Medina, and Stark
Stark County, Ohio
Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 375,586. It is included in the Canton-Massillon, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area....
counties. Akron replaced Cuyahoga Falls as its county seat a year later and opened a canal connecting to Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver, Pennsylvania
Beaver is a borough in and the county seat of Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States, at the confluence of the Beaver and Ohio Rivers. As of the 2000 census, the borough population was 4,775, having dropped from 5,641 in 1940....
, helping birth the stoneware
Stoneware
Stoneware is a vitreous or semi-vitreous ceramic ware with a fine texture. Stoneware is made from clay that is then fired in a kiln, whether by an artisan to make homeware, or in an industrial kiln for mass-produced or specialty products...
, sewer pipe
Sanitary sewer
A sanitary sewer is a separate underground carriage system specifically for transporting sewage from houses and commercial buildings to treatment or disposal. Sanitary sewers serving industrial areas also carry industrial wastewater...
, fishing tackle
Fishing tackle
Fishing tackle, is a general term that refers to the equipment used by fishermen when fishing. Almost any equipment or gear used for fishing can be called fishing tackle. Some examples are hooks, lines, sinkers, floats, rods, reels, baits, lures, spears, nets, gaffs, traps, waders and tackle...
, and farming equipment industries. In 1844, Abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
moved into the John Brown House across the street from business partner Colonel Simon Perkins
Colonel Simon Perkins
"Colonel" Simon Perkins was an businessman, farmer, state senator, and entrepreneur. He was born in Warren, Ohio in 1805, but spent most of his life in Akron, Ohio. He was the oldest son of Simon Perkins, the founder of the City of Akron...
whom lived in the Perkins Stone Mansion
Perkins Stone Mansion
The Perkins Stone Mansion is a historic house museum in Akron, Ohio, USA.- Overview :The mansion is owned and operated by The Summit County Historical Society of Akron, Ohio and is also the organization's headquarters. It was built from 1835 to 1837 by Col. Simon Perkins, son of Akron's founder...
. The Akron School Law of 1847 began the K-12 grade school system, which currently is used in every U.S. state.
1850s-1890s: Summit City
When the Ohio Women's Rights Convention came to Akron in 1851, Sojourner TruthSojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was the self-given name, from 1843 onward, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, she...
extemporaneously delivered her speech named Ain't I A Woman?, at the Universalist Old Stone Church. Associated with the church, John R. Buchtel
John R. Buchtel
John R. Buchtel was an American businessman and philanthropist, most famous for being the founding figure of Buchtel College, the predecessor of the University of Akron. Buchtel High School, a public high school in Akron, Ohio, is also named in his honor....
founded Buchtel College in 1870, renamed the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
in 1913. Purchasing a mill in 1856, Ferdinand Schumacher
Ferdinand Schumacher
Ferdinand Schumacher , aka The Oatmeal King, was a German immigrant, an American entrepreneur and one of the founders of companies which merged to become the Quaker Oats Company.-Biography:...
mass-produced oat bars
Oat
The common oat is a species of cereal grain grown for its seed, which is known by the same name . While oats are suitable for human consumption as oatmeal and rolled oats, one of the most common uses is as livestock feed...
which the Union Army
Union Army
The Union Army was the land force that fought for the Union during the American Civil War. It was also known as the Federal Army, the U.S. Army, the Northern Army and the National Army...
were supplied with during the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, becoming high in demand afterwords. Akron incorporated as a city in 1865. Philanthropist Lewis Miller, Walter Blythe, and architect Jacob Snyder designed the widely used Akron Plan
Akron Plan
Akron Plan for church buildings was popularized by architectural pattern books in the late 19th and early 20th century. The plan is typified by an auditorium form worship space surrounded by connecting Sunday school classrooms spaces on one or two levels. The plan promotes efficiency of movement...
, debuting it on Akron's First Methodist Episcopal Church in 1872. Numerous Congregational
Congregational church
Congregational churches are Protestant Christian churches practicing Congregationalist church governance, in which each congregation independently and autonomously runs its own affairs....
, Baptist
Baptist
Baptists comprise a group of Christian denominations and churches that subscribe to a doctrine that baptism should be performed only for professing believers , and that it must be done by immersion...
, and Presbyterian churches built between the 1870s and World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
use it. In 1883, local journalist began the modern day toy
Toy
A toy is any object that can be used for play. Toys are associated commonly with children and pets. Playing with toys is often thought to be an enjoyable means of training the young for life in human society. Different materials are used to make toys enjoyable and cuddly to both young and old...
industry by founding the Akron Toy Company. A year later, the first popular toy was mass produced clay
Clay
Clay is a general term including many combinations of one or more clay minerals with traces of metal oxides and organic matter. Geologic clay deposits are mostly composed of phyllosilicate minerals containing variable amounts of water trapped in the mineral structure.- Formation :Clay minerals...
marbles
Marbles
A marble is a small spherical toy usually made from glass, clay, steel, or agate. These balls vary in size. Most commonly, they are about ½ inch in diameter, but they may range from less than ¼ inch to over 3 inches , while some art glass marbles fordisplay purposes are over 12 inches ...
made by Samuel C. Dyke at his shop where Lock 3 Park is now located. Others popular inventions include rubber balloons; ducks; dolls; balls, Baby Buggy Bumper, and Little Brown Jug. In 1895, the first long distance electric railway, the Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad
Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad
The Akron, Bedford and Cleveland Railroad began service between Akron and Cleveland, Ohio on November 9, 1895. At the time of its completion, it was the longest electrified rail line in the world. For 50 cents riders could travel from Akron to Cleveland's Public Square in about 2½ hours...
, began service. On 25 August 1889, the Boston Daily Globe referred to Akron with the nickname "Summit City". To assist local police, the city deployed the first police car in the U.S. running on electricity.
1900s-1990s: Rubber Capital of the World
The Riot of 1900Crime in Akron, Ohio
-Early crime in Akron:The first police car was an electric wagon that made its appearance on the streets of Akron in 1899. Akron was one of the first Mafia cities in the 20th century Midwest. The Black Hand, led by Don Rosario Borgio, who arrived in Akron in the early 1900s, was headquartered on...
resulted in city officials being assaulted, two deaths, plus Columbia Hall and the City Building burning to the ground. The American trucking industry was birthed through Akron's Rubber Capital of the World era when the four major tire companies Goodrich Corporation
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
(1869), Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
(1898), Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
(1900), and General Tire
General Tire
The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.General Tire was founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William F. O'Neil. Products included the low-pressure "General Balloon Jumbo" and the "Dual 90" tire...
(1915) were headquartered in the city. The numerous jobs the rubber factories provided for deaf people led to Akron being nicknamed the "Crossroads of the Deaf". On Easter Sunday of 1913, Akron's total rainfall was recorded at 9.55 inches resulting in a flood which killed five citizens and destroyed the Ohio and Erie Canal system. From 1916-1920 10,000 school girls took part in the successful Akron Experiment, testing iodized salt to prevent goiter in what was known as the "Goiter Belt".
Rubber companies responded to housing crunches by building affordable housing for workers. Goodyear's president, Frank Seiberling
Frank Seiberling
Franklin Augustus Seiberling was an American inventor and founder. He is most famous for founding the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the Seiberling Rubber Company...
, built the Goodyear Heights
Akron neighborhoods
-Merriman Heights :Located between memorial parkway to the south and Portage Country Club, and Sand Run Park to the North, Portage Path Rd on the west to the trian tracks east of Bell Ridge road, Merriman Heights Consists of homes built between 1911 to the present and is considered one of Akron's...
neighborhood for employees. Likewise, Harvey Firestone
Harvey Firestone
Harvey Samuel Firestone was an American businessman, and the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company, one of the first global makers of automobile tires.-Family background:...
built the Firestone Park
Akron neighborhoods
-Merriman Heights :Located between memorial parkway to the south and Portage Country Club, and Sand Run Park to the North, Portage Path Rd on the west to the trian tracks east of Bell Ridge road, Merriman Heights Consists of homes built between 1911 to the present and is considered one of Akron's...
neighborhood for his employees. During the 1910-1920 decade Akron became a boom town
Boomtown
A boomtown is a community that experiences sudden and rapid population and economic growth. The growth is normally attributed to the nearby discovery of a precious resource such as gold, silver, or oil, although the term can also be applied to communities growing very rapidly for different reasons,...
being America's fastest growing city with a 201.8% increase in population. Of the 208,000 citizens, almost one-third were immigrants (also Clark Gable
Clark Gable
William Clark Gable , known as Clark Gable, was an American film actor most famous for his role as Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh...
) and their children from places including Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
and West Virginia
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Southeastern regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, Pennsylvania to the northeast and Maryland to the east...
. In 1925 Goodyear's subsidiary Zeppelin Company
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin
Luftschiffbau Zeppelin GmbH is a German company which, during the early 20th century, was a leader in the design and manufacture of rigid airships, specifically of the Zeppelin type. The company was founded by Count Ferdinand von Zeppelin...
began manufacturing airships used in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
and eventually blimps for advertising purposes. Akron again grew when Kenmore
Kenmore, Akron, Ohio
Kenmore is a community in southwest Akron, Ohio. It is bisected by Interstate 277 and U.S. Route 224. The current mayor of Akron is Don Plusquellic...
was annexed by voter approval on November 6, 1928. Found hiding under a bed at one of his hideouts in the city, notorious bank robber Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was an American bank robber. He operated in the West South Central States, and his criminal exploits gained heavy press coverage in the 1930s. Like most other prominent outlaws of that era, he was killed by law enforcement officers...
" Floyd was arrested under the name "Frank Mitchell" in March 1930. Goodyear became America's top tire manufacturer after merging with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company was founded in Springfield, Ohio by Edwin Kelly and Arthur Grant in 1894.-Formation:Edwin Kelly originally called the company The Rubber Tire Wheel Company because it made rubber carriage wheels. Arthur Grant was issued for his solid rubber tire in a rim channel...
in 1935. Lasting five weeks and consisting of roughly 5,000 strikers including union sympathizers from other factories and neighboring states, the Akron Rubber Strike of 1936
Akron Rubber Strike of 1936
During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, factory workers including those who worked for all three major rubber makers in Akron, Ohio faced poor working conditions, low wages, and benefits close none. These conditions resulted in workers establishing the United Rubber Workers in...
successfully used "sit-down" tactic being organized by the United Rubber Workers. During the 1950s-60s Akron surged as use of the automobile did. The historic Rubber Bowl
Rubber Bowl
The Rubber Bowl is a stadium in Akron, Ohio primarily used for American football. From 1940 to 2008, it served as the home field of the University of Akron's Zips football team...
was used by the National Guard of the United States as a base during the racial Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968
Crime in Akron, Ohio
-Early crime in Akron:The first police car was an electric wagon that made its appearance on the streets of Akron in 1899. Akron was one of the first Mafia cities in the 20th century Midwest. The Black Hand, led by Don Rosario Borgio, who arrived in Akron in the early 1900s, was headquartered on...
. Like many other industries of the Rust Belt
Rust Belt
The Rust Belt is a term that gained currency in the 1980s as the informal description of an area straddling the Midwestern and Northeastern United States, in which local economies traditionally garnered an increased manufacturing sector to add jobs and corporate profits...
, both the tire and rubber experienced major decline resulting from multiple labor union strikes occurring from the 70s-80s. By the early 1990s, Goodyear was the last major tire manufacturer based in Akron.
2000s: City of Invention
Despite the number of rubber workers decreasing by approximately half from 2000–07, Akron's research in polymers gained international notoriety. It now centers the Polymer Valley which consist of 400 polymer-related companies of which 94 were located within the city itself. Research is focused at the University of AkronUniversity of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
which is home to the Goodyear Polymer Center
Goodyear Polymer Center
The Goodyear Polymer Center is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. It consists of 12-story and 9-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction.-Facilities:...
and National Polymer Innovation Center, and first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering. Due to its contributions to the Information Age
Information Age
The Information Age, also commonly known as the Computer Age or Digital Age, is an idea that the current age will be characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously...
, Newsweek
Newsweek
Newsweek is an American weekly news magazine published in New York City. It is distributed throughout the United States and internationally. It is the second-largest news weekly magazine in the U.S., having trailed Time in circulation and advertising revenue for most of its existence...
's listed Akron 5th of ten high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
havens in 2001. In 2008 "City of Invention" was added to the seal when the All-America City Award
All-America City Award
The All-America City Award is given by the National Civic League annually to ten cities in the United States.The oldest community recognition program in the nation, the award recognizes communities whose citizens work together to identify and tackle community-wide challenges and achieve uncommon...
was received for the 3rd time. Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
has received the nickname "Meth Capital of Ohio" ranking 3rd in the number of registered sites due mainly to homemade methamphetamine
Methamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
in Akron. In September 2009 it was announced that some events of the 2014 Gay Games
Gay Games
The Gay Games is the world's largest sporting and cultural event organized by and specifically for LGBT athletes, artists, musicians, and others. It welcomes participants of every sexual orientation and every skill level...
will use the city as a venue.
Geography
Akron is located in the Great Lakes regionGreat Lakes region (North America)
The Great Lakes region of North America, occasionally known as the Third Coast or the Fresh Coast , includes the eight U.S. states of Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania and Wisconsin as well as the Canadian province of Ontario...
approximately 39 miles (62.8 km) south of Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
, on the Glaciated Allegheny Plateau
Glaciated Allegheny Plateau
The Glaciated Allegheny Plateau is that portion of the Allegheny Plateau that lies within the area covered by the last glaciation. As a result, this area of the Allegheny Plateau has lower relief and more gentle slopes than the relatively rugged Unglaciated Allegheny Plateau...
. It is bordered by Cuyahoga Falls
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
on the north, and Barberton
Barberton, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,899 people, 11,523 households, and 7,443 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,095.2 people per square mile . There were 12,163 housing units at an average density of 1,349.4 per square mile...
on the south. It is the center of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area which covers Summit
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
and Portage
Portage County, Ohio
Portage County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. The population was 152,061 at the 2000 Census and 161,419 at the 2010 Census. Its county seat is Ravenna. Portage County is named for the portage between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers...
counties, and the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area
Greater Cleveland
Greater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio and is part of what used to be the Connecticut Western Reserve.Northeast Ohio refers to a similar but substantially larger area as described below...
. Located on the western end of the plateau, the topography of Akron includes rolling hills and varied terrain. The Ohio and Erie Canal
Ohio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
passes through the city, separating the east from west. Akron has the only biogas
Biogas
Biogas typically refers to a gas produced by the biological breakdown of organic matter in the absence of oxygen. Organic waste such as dead plant and animal material, animal dung, and kitchen waste can be converted into a gaseous fuel called biogas...
facility in the United States that produces methane
Methane
Methane is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is the simplest alkane, the principal component of natural gas, and probably the most abundant organic compound on earth. The relative abundance of methane makes it an attractive fuel...
through the decomposition process of sludge to create electricity. According to the United States Census Bureau
United States Census Bureau
The United States Census Bureau is the government agency that is responsible for the United States Census. It also gathers other national demographic and economic data...
, as of 2000 the city has a total area of 62.1 square miles (160.8 km²), of which 62.1 square miles (160.8 km²) is land and 0.3 square mile (0.776996433 km²) is water.
Climate
Akron has a humid continental climate (Koppen climate classificationKöppen climate classification
The Köppen climate classification is one of the most widely used climate classification systems. It was first published by Crimea German climatologist Wladimir Köppen in 1884, with several later modifications by Köppen himself, notably in 1918 and 1936...
Dfa), with cold but changeable winters, wet, cool springs, warm (sometimes hot) and humid summers, and cool, rather dry autumns. Precipitation is fairly well distributed through the year, but summer tends to have the most rainfall (and also, somewhat paradoxically, the most sunshine), and autumn the least. The mid-autumn through early-spring months tend to be quite cloudy, with sometimes less than 30% possible sunshine. The cloudiest month is December, and the sunniest month is usually July, which is also the wettest month because most of the precipitation occurs with brief, intense thunderstorms. Winters tend to be cold, with average January high temperatures of 32 °F (0 °C), and average January lows of 17 °F (−8 °C), with considerable variation in temperatures. During a typical January, high temperatures of over 50 °F (10 °C) are just as common as low temperatures of below 0 °F (−18 °C). Snowfall is lighter than the snowbelt
Snowbelt
Snowbelt is a term describing of a number of regions near the Great Lakes in North America where heavy snowfall in the form of lake-effect snow is particularly common. Snowbelts are typically found downwind of the lakes, principally off the eastern and southern shores...
areas to the north, but is still somewhat influenced by Lake Erie
Lake Erie
Lake Erie is the fourth largest lake of the five Great Lakes in North America, and the tenth largest globally. It is the southernmost, shallowest, and smallest by volume of the Great Lakes and therefore also has the shortest average water residence time. It is bounded on the north by the...
. Akron-Canton Airport generally averages about 46.7 inches of snow per winter. During a typical winter, temperatures drop below 0 °F (−18 °C) on about 6 occurrences, generally only during the nighttime hours. Average July high temperatures of 82 °F (27 °C), and average July lows of 61 °F (16 °C) are normal. Summer weather is more stable, generally humid with thunderstorms fairly common. Temperatures reach or exceed 90 °F (32 °C) about 9 times each summer, on average. In hot summers, such as 1988, however, as many as 30 days over 90 °F (32 °C) have been observed, and in cooler summers, such as the summer of 2000, the temperature may never reach 90 °F (32 °C). Temperatures over 100 °F (38 °C) are rare (about once per decade on average), most recently occurring on several occasions in the hot summer of 1988. The all-time record high in Akron of 104°F (40°C) was established on August 6, 1918, and the all-time record low of −25 °F (−32 °C) was set on January 19, 1994. Normal yearly precipitation
Precipitation (meteorology)
In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation In meteorology, precipitation (also known as one of the classes of hydrometeors, which are atmospheric water phenomena is any product of the condensation of atmospheric water vapor that falls under gravity. The main forms of precipitation...
based on the 30-year average from 1971-2000 is 38.56 inches (979.4 mm).
Cityscape
Architecture
As a result of multiple town merging, and industry boom, Akron's architecture is diverse. Originally a canal town, the city is divide into two by the Ohio and Erie CanalOhio and Erie Canal
The Ohio Canal or Ohio and Erie Canal was a canal constructed in the 1820s and early 1830s. It connected Akron, Summit County, with the Cuyahoga River near its mouth on Lake Erie in Cleveland, Cuyahoga County, and a few years later, with the Ohio River near Portsmouth, Scioto County, and then...
, with downtown being centered on it. Many of the city's government and civic buildings, including City Hall, the Summit County Courthouse, the Akron-Summit County Public Library
Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is “recognized locally as an essential community asset, and nationally as one of the finest public libraries in the United States due to its excellent customer service, collaborative community involvement, and high level of customer and employee satisfaction”...
, and John S. Knight Center
John S. Knight Center
The John S. Knight Center is a large convocation center located in Akron, Ohio, named after the newspaper publisher and editor John S. Knight....
. The First Methodist Episcopal Church first used the Akron Plan
Akron Plan
Akron Plan for church buildings was popularized by architectural pattern books in the late 19th and early 20th century. The plan is typified by an auditorium form worship space surrounded by connecting Sunday school classrooms spaces on one or two levels. The plan promotes efficiency of movement...
in 1872, the plan later gained popularity, being used in many Congregationalists, Baptists, and Presbyterians. For remodeling all public schools to serve as community centers year round, the city was awarded with the City Livability Award
World's most livable cities
The world's most liveable cities is an informal name given to any list of cities as they rank on a reputable annual survey of living conditions. Two examples are the Mercer Quality of Living Survey and The Economists World's Most Livable Cities .Liveability rankings are designed for use by...
in 2008. The National Arbor Day Foundation
National Arbor Day Foundation
The Arbor Day Foundation is the world's oldest and largest tree-planting organization. The foundation began September 3, 1971 with a mission "to inspire people to plant, nurture, and celebrate trees". The Foundation is supported by donations, selling trees and merchandise, and by corporate sponsors...
designated Akron as a Tree City USA
Tree City USA
Tree City USA is a tree planting and tree care program sponsored by the National Arbor Day Foundation for cities and towns in the United States.- Requirements :...
for the 14th time, the latest being 2009. The city is home to one of the last remaining civic theaters. Along the locks, the city has a path paved with rubber. Completed in 1931, Akron's tallest building, the FirstMerit Tower
FirstMerit Tower
FirstMerit Tower, also known as the First National Bank Building or the First Central Trust Building, is a skyscraper in Akron, Ohio that has remained the tallest building in that city since its completion in 1931. The building is art deco in style and is covered in glazed architectural...
, features the art deco
Art Deco
Art deco , or deco, is an eclectic artistic and design style that began in Paris in the 1920s and flourished internationally throughout the 1930s, into the World War II era. The style influenced all areas of design, including architecture and interior design, industrial design, fashion and...
style and is covered in glazed architectural terra-cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta
Glazed architectural terra-cotta is a ceramic masonry building material popular in the United States from the late 19th century until the 1930s, and still one of the most common building materials found in U.S. urban environments...
. Standing 330 feet (100.6 m), it is built on top of the Hamilton Building, completed in 1900 in the neo-gothic style. Near the turn of the millennium the tower was given a $2.5 million facelift, including a $1.8 million restoration of the tower's terra-cotta, brick and limestone. The top of the building has a television broadcast tower, formerly used by WAKR-TV (now WVPX-TV) and WAKR-AM. The antenna reaches 134.7 metres (441.9 ft).Located on the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
campus, the Goodyear Polymer Center
Goodyear Polymer Center
The Goodyear Polymer Center is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. It consists of 12-story and 9-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction.-Facilities:...
, is glass twin towers connected by walkways. The university also utilizes the former Quaker Oats factory as a hotel shopping centers called Quaker Square
Quaker Square
Quaker Square is a mall located in downtown Akron, Ohio, which is the result of the renovation of the Quaker Oats mill, silos, and factory which originally operated there. The complex is currently a hotel and a dormitory for the University of Akron.-History:...
. The Akron Art Museum
Akron Art Museum
The Akron Art Museum is an art museum in Akron, Ohio, USA.The museum first opened its doors on February 1, 1922, as the Akron Art Institute. It was located in two borrowed rooms in the basement of the public library...
, remodeled in 2007, is divided into three parts known as the “Crystal”, “Gallery Box”, and the “Roof Cloud”. The contrasting neighborhoods of Goodyear Heights and Firestone Park, were built during the rubber industry to house workers and their families.
Neighborhoods
Akron consists of 24 neighborhoods, with an additional 3 that are unincorporated but recognized within the city. The neighborhoods of the city differ in design largely due to expansions such as town merging, annexation, housing construction in various time periods, and rubber era.Maple Valley covers the west end of Copley Road, before reaching I-77. Along this strip are several businesses using the name, as well as the Maple Valley Branch of the Akron-Summit County Public Library
Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is “recognized locally as an essential community asset, and nationally as one of the finest public libraries in the United States due to its excellent customer service, collaborative community involvement, and high level of customer and employee satisfaction”...
. Spicertown falls under the blanket of University Park, this term is used frequently to describe the student-centered retail and residential area around East Exchange St. and Spicer, near the University of Akron. West Hill is roughly bounded by West Market on the north, West Exchange on the south, Downtown on the East, and Rhodes Ave. on the West. It features many stately older homes, particularly in the recently recognized Oakdale Historic District.
Suburbs
Akron's suburbs include FairlawnFairlawn, Ohio
Fairlawn is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. A suburb of Akron, its population was 7,307 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Fairlawn is located at ....
, Barberton
Barberton, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 27,899 people, 11,523 households, and 7,443 families residing in the city. The population density was 3,095.2 people per square mile . There were 12,163 housing units at an average density of 1,349.4 per square mile...
, Cuyahoga Falls
Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 49,374 people, 21,655 households, and 13,317 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,932.9 people per square mile . There were 22,727 housing units at an average density of 889.7 per square mile...
, Stow
Stow, Ohio
Stow is a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 32,139 at the 2000 census and 33,899 as of 2008. It is a suburban community that is part of the Akron metropolitan area. Stow is located adjacent to several other suburban communities in Summit and Portage Counties...
, Tallmadge
Tallmadge, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 16,390 people, 6,273 households, and 4,711 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,173.9 people per square mile . There were 6,494 housing units at an average density of 465.1 per square mile...
, Silver Lake
Silver Lake, Ohio
Silver Lake is a village in Summit County, Ohio, United States of America. It is an affluent suburb of Akron and is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 3,019 at the 2000 census...
, Green
Green, Ohio
Green is a suburban city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,699 at the 2010 census. It is located almost exactly midway between the cities of Akron and Canton, although it is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, and Mogadore
Mogadore, Ohio
Mogadore is a village in Portage and Summit counties in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is a suburb of Akron and is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. Akron formed Joint Economic Development District
Joint Economic Development District
A Joint Economic Development District is an arrangement in Ohio where one or more municipalities and a township agree to work together to develop township land for commercial or industrial purposes. The benefit to the municipality is that they get a portion of the taxes levied in the JEDD without...
s with Springfield
Springfield Township, Summit County, Ohio
Springfield Township is one of the nine townships of Summit County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 15,168 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southeastern part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:...
, Coventry
Coventry Township, Summit County, Ohio
Coventry Township is one of the nine townships of Summit County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 10,900 people in the township.-Geography:Coventry Township is located in southern Summit County...
, Copley
Copley Township, Summit County, Ohio
Copley Township is one of the nine townships of Summit County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 13,641 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:...
, and Bath
Bath Township, Summit County, Ohio
Bath Township is one of the nine townships of Summit County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 9,635 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the western part of the county, it borders the following townships and cities:...
(in conjunction with Fairlawn) townships.
Culture
Akron is home to E.J. Thomas HallE.J. Thomas Hall
The University of Akron E.J. Thomas Performing Arts Hall is a performing arts hall, located at 198 Hill Street, in Akron, Ohio, on the University of Akron's campus.-History:...
, the largest of three Akron performance halls. Regular acts include the Akron Symphony Orchestra, Tuesday Musical Club, and Children's Concert Society. World-class performances events include Broadway musicals, ballets, comedies, lectures, entertainers, attracting 400,000 visitors annually. The hall seats 2955, divided among three tiers. To maintain top-notch acoustic sound, the counter-weighted ceiling is adjustable, altering the physical dimensions of the hall. Located downtown is the Akron Civic Theater
Civic Theatre
Civic Theatre may refer to one of the following theatres:*Auckland Civic Theatre, Queen St, Auckland, New Zealand*Bedford Civic Theatre, Bedford, England*Newcastle Civic Theatre, Wheeler Place, Newcastle, Australia*Civic Theatre, Doncaster, England...
, which opened in 1929 as the Loewe's Theater. This atmospheric-style theatre was designed by John Eberson and contains many Moorish features including arches and decorative tiles. It originally featured elaborate wood carvings, alabaster statuary, and European antiques. The theater got its current name in 2001 after remodeling. Behind it on the canal is the Lock 3 Park amphitheater, which annually host the First Night
First Night
First Night is an artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve, taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, such as churches and theaters...
in Akron. The Akron Art Museum
Akron Art Museum
The Akron Art Museum is an art museum in Akron, Ohio, USA.The museum first opened its doors on February 1, 1922, as the Akron Art Institute. It was located in two borrowed rooms in the basement of the public library...
also located downtown, features art produced since 1850 along with national and international exhibitions. It opened in 1922 as the Akron Art Institute located in the basement of the Akron-Summit County Public Library
Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is “recognized locally as an essential community asset, and nationally as one of the finest public libraries in the United States due to its excellent customer service, collaborative community involvement, and high level of customer and employee satisfaction”...
. It moved to its current location at the renovated 1899 old post office building in 1981. In 2007, the museum more than tripled in size with the addition of the John S. and James L. Knight Building, which received the 2005 American Architecture Award from the Chicago Athenaeum while still under construction.
Built between 1912 and 1915 for Frank Seiberling
Frank Seiberling
Franklin Augustus Seiberling was an American inventor and founder. He is most famous for founding the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company and the Seiberling Rubber Company...
, Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is a notable country estate, with gardens, located at 714 North Portage Path in Akron, Ohio. It ranks seventh on the list of largest houses in the United States....
ranks seventh on the list of Largest Historic Homes in the United States
Largest Historic Homes in the United States
-Largest historic houses by square footage:-Largest privately owned houses by square footage:-References:*Loviglio, Joann. "ABC News." Regal Ruins: Palatial Mansion Near Philly Crumbles. Associated Press, 26 July 2010. Web. 13 Sep 2010. ....
. Located within the Sand Run Metro Parks, the 104 acre (0.42087344 km²) F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm features a visitors' center, hiking trails, three ponds, gardens, and an array of special programs throughout the year. The Akron Police Museum displays mementos including items from Pretty Boy Floyd
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was an American bank robber. He operated in the West South Central States, and his criminal exploits gained heavy press coverage in the 1930s. Like most other prominent outlaws of that era, he was killed by law enforcement officers...
, whose gang frequented the city. The city is home to several other galleries and museums include American Marble and Toy Museum and the Don Drumm Studios & Gallery.
Film and television
Akron has served as the setting for several major studio and independentIndependent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
films. Inducted into the National Film Registry
National Film Registry
The National Film Registry is the United States National Film Preservation Board's selection of films for preservation in the Library of Congress. The Board, established by the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, was reauthorized by acts of Congress in 1992, 1996, 2005, and again in October 2008...
, Dance, Girl, Dance
Dance, Girl, Dance
Dance, Girl, Dance is a film released in 1940, directed by Dorothy Arzner.In 2007, Dance, Girl, Dance was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant", describing it as Arzner's...
(1940), tells the story of two dancers from Akron who go to New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. My Name is Bill W.
My Name is Bill W.
My Name Is Bill W. is a 1989 CBS Hallmark Hall of Fame television movie directed by Daniel Petrie, starring James Woods, JoBeth Williams and James Garner. William G. Borchert, who wrote the film for television, based it on the true story of William Griffith Wilson and Dr. Robert Holbrook Smith,...
(1989) tells the true story of Bill Wilson
Bill W.
William Griffith Wilson , also known as Bill Wilson or Bill W., was the co-founder of Alcoholics Anonymous , an international mutual aid fellowship with over two million members belonging to 100,800 groups of alcoholics helping other alcoholics achieve and maintain sobriety...
who co-founded Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
, which held its first meetings at the Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Stan Hywet Hall and Gardens
Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens is a notable country estate, with gardens, located at 714 North Portage Path in Akron, Ohio. It ranks seventh on the list of largest houses in the United States....
and has over two million members today. The program's connection to the Saint Thomas Hospital is referenced in an episode of the television series Prison Break
Prison Break
Prison Break is an American television serial drama created by Paul Scheuring, that was broadcast on the Fox Broadcasting Company for four seasons, from 2005 until 2009. The series revolves around two brothers; one has been sentenced to death for a crime he did not commit, and the other devises an...
(2005), where Michael Scofield
Michael Scofield
Michael J. Scofield is the main protagonist in the American television series Prison Break. He is portrayed by Wentworth Miller. The character first appeared in the series pilot as a man who stages a bank robbery in order to get sent into the prison where his older brother, Lincoln Burrows , is...
talks to Sara Tancredi
Sara Tancredi
Dr. Sara Tancredi is a fictional character from the American television series, Prison Break. She is played by Sarah Wayne Callies. Her role in the first season of the series is a prison doctor.- Background :...
on the phone while there. The Akron Armory is used as a venue for a female wrestling team in ...All the Marbles (1981). More Than a Game
More Than a Game
More Than a Game is a 2009 American documentary film that follows NBA superstar LeBron James and four of his teammates through the trials and tribulations of high school basketball in Akron, Ohio, and James's journey to fame. The film trailer was released in April featuring the single "Stronger" by...
(2009) documents National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player Lebron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and his St. Vincent – St. Mary High School high school basketball team's journey. In Drake
Drake (entertainer)
Aubrey Drake Graham , who records under the mononym Drake, is a Canadian recording artist and actor. He originally became known for playing Jimmy Brooks on the television series Degrassi: The Next Generation....
's music video to Forever
Forever (Drake song)
"Forever" is a single by rapper Drake. The song features verses by rappers Kanye West, Lil Wayne, and Eminem. The song is released as a single from the soundtrack to LeBron James's More Than a Game documentary....
(2009) off the More Than a Game Soundtrack (2009), the iconic Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
's logo on top the company's theater is shown. The city has been the subject of many different portrayals in media, from "Hell on Earth" in the television series I'm In Hell (2007), to the whereabouts of a holy woman in The Virgin of Akron, Ohio (2007). Henry Spivey of My Own Worst Enemy
My Own Worst Enemy (TV series)
My Own Worst Enemy is an American television drama that aired on NBC in 2008. It premiered on October 13 and ended on December 15 after 9 episodes. The series was produced by Universal Media Studios. Jason Smilovic was the executive producer; David Semel was the director and executive producer...
(2008), travels to Akron through the series many times. George Costanza
George Costanza
George Louis Costanza is a character in the American television sitcom Seinfeld , played by Jason Alexander. He has variously been described as a "short, stocky, slow-witted, bald man" , "Lord of the Idiots" , and as "the greatest sitcom character of all time"...
in an episode of Seinfeld (1989), flies to the city. M.Y.O.B. (2008) is centered on an Akron runaway girl named Riley Veatch. Jake Foley of Jake 2.0
Jake 2.0
Jake 2.0 is an American science fiction television series originally broadcast on UPN in 2003. The series was canceled on January 14, 2004 due to low ratings, leaving four episodes unaired in the United States. In the United Kingdom, all the episodes aired on Sky1...
(2003), Pickles family of the Rugrats
Rugrats
Rugrats is an American animated television series created by Arlene Klasky, Gábor Csupó, and Paul Germain for Nickelodeon. The series premiered on August 11, 1991, and aired its last episode on June 8, 2004....
(1991), and J.Reid of In Too Deep (1999) are also natives of the city.
In popular culture
Thomas and BeulahThomas and Beulah
Thomas and Beulah is a book of poems by American poet Rita Dove that tells the semi-fictionalized chronological story of her maternal grandparents, the focus being on her grandfather in the first half and her grandmother in the second...
, a book of poetry written by native and former Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress
The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the nation's official poet. During his or her term, the Poet Laureate seeks to raise the national consciousness to a greater appreciation of the reading and writing of...
, Rita Dove
Rita Dove
Rita Frances Dove is an American poet and author. From 1993-1995 she served as Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress, a position now popularly known as "U.S. Poet Laureate"...
, tells the story of her grandmother and grandfather who separately moved from the South
Southern United States
The Southern United States—commonly referred to as the American South, Dixie, or simply the South—constitutes a large distinctive area in the southeastern and south-central United States...
to the city, where they lived through the Great Depression
Great Depression
The Great Depression was a severe worldwide economic depression in the decade preceding World War II. The timing of the Great Depression varied across nations, but in most countries it started in about 1929 and lasted until the late 1930s or early 1940s...
and the rest of their lives. The city is also the setting for the novel The Coast of Akron, by former editor of Esquire
Esquire
Esquire is a term of West European origin . Depending on the country, the term has different meanings...
, Adrienne Miller
Adrienne Miller
Adrienne Miller is an American writer. From 1997 to 2005, she was the fiction editor of Esquire. She is also the Favorite Professor Ever of many of her students, one in particular.-Early life:...
. To reflect Akron's decline during the 80s, Native Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
wrote the Pretenders song "My City Was Gone
My City Was Gone
"My City Was Gone" is a song by the rock group The Pretenders. The song originally appeared in October 1982 as the B-side to the single release of "Back on the Chain Gang"; the two-sided single was the comeback release for the band following the death of founding bandmember James Honeyman-Scott...
". The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
album title Rubber Factory
Rubber Factory
- Personnel:*Dan Auerbach: guitars, vocals, fiddle, lap steel, hand claps*Patrick Carney: drums, percussion, hand claps...
refers to the former Goodrich Corporation
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
rubber factory in which it was recorded. Akron serves as a setting in the first-person-shooter PC platform video game, No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In H.A.R.M.'s Way
No One Lives Forever 2: A Spy In H.A.R.M.'s Way
-Source code:The source code for the game engine was released by Monolith Productions and Sierra Entertainment as part of the No One Lives Forever 2 Toolkit for "allowing you to create your own levels, models, music, sounds, and more, for MonoLith's FPS." It is available for download...
.
Cryptozoology
The GrassmanGrassman
Grassman, also known as the Ohio Grassman and Kenmore Grassman, is an alleged bipedal, ape-like creature reportedly seen in the state of Ohio, primarily around Kenmore, near the Akron, Ohio area and throughout Eastern Ohio into Western Pa. and central and southern Ohio into WV...
, also known as the Ohio Grassman and Kenmore Grassman, is an alleged bipedal, ape-like creature reportedly seen in Akron, primarily around Kenmore
Kenmore, Akron, Ohio
Kenmore is a community in southwest Akron, Ohio. It is bisected by Interstate 277 and U.S. Route 224. The current mayor of Akron is Don Plusquellic...
. In 1995, the possible creature got its name when researchers from Cincinnati came to Akron due to claims of local residents who said an unusual creature was living in a swampy area of the Kenmore neighborhood off Manchester Road.
Tourism
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
consists of different vendors serving original recipe hamburgers and has a Miss Hamburger contest. Lock 3 Park annually hosts the First Night
First Night
First Night is an artistic and cultural celebration on New Year's Eve, taking place from afternoon until midnight. Some cities have all their events during the celebration outside, but some cities have events that are hosted indoors by organizations in the city, such as churches and theaters...
Akron celebration on New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve
New Year's Eve is observed annually on December 31, the final day of any given year in the Gregorian calendar. In modern societies, New Year's Eve is often celebrated at social gatherings, during which participants dance, eat, consume alcoholic beverages, and watch or light fireworks to mark the...
. The park also annually hosts the Italian Festival and the "Rib, White & Blue" food festival in July. Founders Day
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
is celebrated annually due to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous
Alcoholics Anonymous is an international mutual aid movement which says its "primary purpose is to stay sober and help other alcoholics achieve sobriety." Now claiming more than 2 million members, AA was founded in 1935 by Bill Wilson and Dr. Bob Smith in Akron, Ohio...
within the city. In Highland Square, Akron hosts a convergence of art, music, and community annually called Art in the Square, a festival featuring local artists and musicians.
Cuisine
Several residents of Akron have played a role in defining the AmericanUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
cuisine. Ferdinand Schumacher
Ferdinand Schumacher
Ferdinand Schumacher , aka The Oatmeal King, was a German immigrant, an American entrepreneur and one of the founders of companies which merged to become the Quaker Oats Company.-Biography:...
created the first American oatmeal
Oatmeal
Oatmeal is ground oat groats , or a porridge made from oats . Oatmeal can also be ground oat, steel-cut oats, crushed oats, or rolled oats....
and is a pioneer of breakfast cereal
Breakfast cereal
A breakfast cereal is a food made from processed grains that is often, but not always, eaten with the first meal of the day. It is often eaten cold, usually mixed with milk , water, or yogurt, and sometimes fruit but sometimes eaten dry. Some cereals, such as oatmeal, may be served hot as porridge...
. He also founded the Empire Barley Mill and German Mills American Oatmeal Company, which would later merge several times with other companies, with the result being the Quaker Oats Company
Quaker Oats Company
The Quaker Oats Company is an American food conglomerate based in Chicago. It has been owned by Pepsico since 2001.-History:Quaker Oats was founded in 1901 by the merger of four oat mills:...
. The Menches Brothers, are the disputed inventors of the waffle
Waffle
A waffle is a batter- or dough-based cake cooked in a waffle iron patterned to give a distinctive and characteristic shape. There are many variations based on the type and shape of the iron and the recipe used....
ice cream cone
Ice cream cone
An ice cream cone, poke or cornet is a dry, cone-shaped pastry, usually made of a wafer similar in texture to a waffle, allowing ice cream to be eaten without a bowl or spoon...
, caramel corn
Caramel corn
Caramel corn is a confection made of popcorn coated with a sugar or molasses based caramel candy shell. Typically a sugar solution or syrup is made and heated until it browns and becomes thick, producing a caramelized candy syrup. This hot candy is then mixed with popped popcorn, and allowed to cool...
, and hamburger
Hamburger
A hamburger is a sandwich consisting of a cooked patty of ground meat usually placed inside a sliced bread roll...
. The beer, BORIS The Crusher Oatmeal-Imperial Stout, brewed by the Hoppin' Frog Breweing Company located in the city, won 1st place in the Imperial Stout category of the 2008 Great American Beer Festival
Great American Beer Festival
The Great American Beer Festival is a three-day annual event hosted by the Brewers Association, held in Denver, Colorado, in mid to late September or early October. This year, 2011, the festival runs from 29 September through 1 October. The GABF brings visitors from around the world to sample more...
, and the company was named the 24th best brewer in the world for 2010 by RateBeer.com Native singer Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
owns The VegiTerranean restaurant in the Northside Lofts, and other notable eateries in Akron are Talamos Pizza with its famous jojo's and garlic dip recipe by mama Talamo. Other places include: Luigi's, Mary Coyle Ice Cream, Metro Burger, Swenson's, Ken Stewart's, The Diamond Grille, Tangier, Menches Brothers Restaurant, Louie's, Duffy's, New Era, The Office Bistro, Strickland's Frozen Custard
Strickland's Frozen Custard
Strickland's Frozen Custard is an American ice cream chain, based in Akron, Ohio and with 14 locations in Ohio, Florida, California, and South Carolina. The chain was founded in 1936 by Bill and Florence Strickland of Akron. Strickland's makes its ice cream fresh on-site daily, and generally...
, and Hamburger Station. The rivalry between Swenson's and Skyway, aired on Iron Chef
Iron Chef
is a Japanese television cooking show produced by Fuji Television. The series, which premiered on October 10, 1992, is a stylized cook-off featuring guest chefs challenging one of the show's resident "Iron Chefs" in a timed cooking battle built around a specific theme ingredient. The series ended...
Michael Symon
Michael Symon
Michael D. Symon is a James Beard Foundation Award-winning American chef, restaurateur, television personality, and author. He is seen regularly on Food Network on shows such as Iron Chef America, Food Feuds, and The Best Thing I Ever Ate, as well as Cook Like an Iron Chef on the Cooking Channel...
's Food Feuds
Food Feuds
Food Feuds is a weekly series hosted by Iron Chef Michael Symon that premiered on Food Network October 10, 2010. The show features food rivalries or "feuds" between local restaurants in cities around the United States.-Synopsis:...
, which Swenson's won.
Spoken dialects
Although Akron is in northern Ohio, where the Inland North dialect is expected, its settlement history, puts it in the North Midland dialect area. Some localisms that have developed include devilstripTree lawn
A road verge, is a narrow strip of grass or plants and sometimes also trees typically located beside the carriageway within the boundary of a road.The land is often public...
, which refers to the grass strip between a sidewalk and street, and the unofficial term Akroness,which has been defined as "simultaneously possessing a look of prolonged neglect and frequent use."
Sports
Professional sports
Professional sports, as opposed to amateur sports, are sports in which athletes receive payment for their performance. Professional athleticism has come to the fore through a combination of developments. Mass media and increased leisure have brought larger audiences, so that sports organizations...
teams include the Akron Aeros
Akron Aeros
The Akron Aeros are a minor league baseball team based in Akron, Ohio, USA. The team, which plays in the Eastern League, is the Double-A affiliate of the Cleveland Indians.The Aeros play in Canal Park, located in downtown Akron, which seats 9,097 fans...
(Minor League Baseball
Minor league baseball
Minor league baseball is a hierarchy of professional baseball leagues in the Americas that compete at levels below Major League Baseball and provide opportunities for player development. All of the minor leagues are operated as independent businesses...
), Akron Racers
Akron Racers
- 2010 :The following is the Racers 2010 home schedule:* Thursday, June 24 * Friday, June 25 * Saturday, June 26 * Sunday, June 27 * Thursday, July 1 * Friday, July 2 * Saturday, July 3...
(National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch
National Pro Fastpitch , formerly the Women's Pro Softball League , is the only professional women's softball league in the United States. The WPSL was founded in 1997 and folded in 2001. The NPF revived the league in 2004 and currently features four teams: USSSA Pride, Akron Racers, Chicago...
), The Rubber City Rollergirls (Roller Derby) and NEO Roller Derby,(Women's Flat Track Derby Association
Women's Flat Track Derby Association
The Women's Flat Track Derby Association is an association of women's flat track roller derby leagues in the United States. The organization was founded in April 2004 as the United Leagues Coalition but was renamed in November 2005. It is registered in Raleigh, North Carolina as a 501 business...
) (Roller derby
Roller derby
Roller derby is a contact sport played by two teams of five members roller skating in the same direction around a track. Game play consists of a series of short matchups in which both teams designate a scoring player who scores points by lapping members of the opposing team...
). Local sporting facilities include Canal Park
Canal Park (Akron, Ohio)
Canal Park is a baseball stadium located in Akron, Ohio, United States, that is the home of the Akron Aeros of the Eastern League. The team is a double-A minor-league affiliate of the Cleveland Indians. The stadium was designed by Populous, the same architectural firm that designed Progressive...
, Firestone Stadium
Firestone Stadium
Firestone Stadium is a historic baseball and softball stadium located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The stadium was dedicated on July 25, 1925 by Harvey Firestone, the founder of the Firestone Tire and Rubber Company...
, Summit County Fairgrounds Arena Complex
Summit County Fairgrounds Arena Complex
The Summit County Fairgrounds Arena Complex is a multi-purpose arena in Tallmadge, Ohio, which seats up to 2,800. Built in 1994, it was home to the Summit County Rumble of the Continental Indoor Football League in 2007.-External links:*...
, InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, James A. Rhodes Arena
James A. Rhodes Arena
James A. Rhodes Arena, commonly nicknamed "The JAR," is a basketball arena in Akron, Ohio on the campus of the University of Akron named for former Ohio governor Jim Rhodes. The arena opened in 1983 and is home to the Akron Zips men's and women's basketball teams and women's volleyball team. The...
, and the Lee Jackson Field.
The Aeros won the Eastern League Championship six times, the last being in 2009. Nearly growing 87% that year, the Akron Road Runner Marathon has consecutively gained participants since beginning. It was announced that Akron will host some of the events of the 2014 Gay Games
2014 Gay Games
According to the FGG, fourteen cities expressed interest in hosting the 2014 Gay Games . During its annual meeting in Cape Town on 28 October 2008, the FGG announced that four cities made the deadline and were thus in the running to host the games: Boston, Cleveland, Miami, and Washington, DC...
including the marathon, the men's and women's golf tournaments at Firestone Country Club
Firestone Country Club
The Firestone Country Club is a private golf club located in Akron, Ohio, United States.The Club comprises three courses—those of the North, South, and West—each of which hosted a televised golf event, respectively the American Golf Classic, the CBS Golf Classic and the World Series of Golf, in...
, and softball at Firestone Stadium. The All-American Soap Box Derby taken place each year at the Derby Downs
Derby Downs
Derby Downs, in Akron, Ohio, has been the home track of the All American Soap Box Derby since it was built as a Works Progress Administration project in the late 1930s...
since 1936. The Firestone Country Club, annually host the WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
WGC-Bridgestone Invitational
The WGC-Bridgestone Invitational is one of the annual World Golf Championships for male professional golfers. It is sanctioned and organized by the International Federation of PGA Tours and the prize money is official money on both the PGA Tour and the PGA European Tour...
and in the past hosted tournaments including the PGA Championship
PGA Championship
The PGA Championship is an annual golf tournament conducted by the PGA of America as part of the PGA Tour. It is one of the four major championships in men's professional golf, and is the golf season's final major, usually played in mid-August, customarily four weeks after The Open Championship...
, American Golf Classic
American Golf Classic
The American Golf Classic was a tournament on the PGA Tour from 1961 to 1976. It was the third event to be played at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio after the Rubber City Open Invitational and the 1960 PGA Championship.-Winners:...
, and Rubber City Open Invitational
Rubber City Open Invitational
The Rubber City Open Invitational, first played as the Rubber City Open in 1954, was the first PGA Tour event to be held at the storied Firestone Country Club in Akron, Ohio...
. The Akron & National Marble Tournament was created in 1923, by Roy W. Howard, being owned by the Akron District Marbles Tournament and the Akron Beacon Journal
Akron Beacon Journal
The Akron Beacon Journal is a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States, and published by Black Press Ltd.. It is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper places a strong emphasis on local news and business...
sometime before it ended permanently in the 1960s. On January 7, 1938, Akron became the birthplace of women's professional Mud Wrestling
Mud wrestling
Mud wrestling is defined as physical confrontation that occurs in mud or a mud pit. The popular modern interpretation specifies that participants wrestle while wearing minimal clothing and usually going barefoot, with the emphasis on presenting an entertaining spectacle as opposed to physically...
, in a match including Professional Wrestling
Professional wrestling
Professional wrestling is a mode of spectacle, combining athletics and theatrical performance.Roland Barthes, "The World of Wrestling", Mythologies, 1957 It takes the form of events, held by touring companies, which mimic a title match combat sport...
and Wrestling Observer Hall of Famer, Mildred Burke
Mildred Burke
Mildred Bliss was an American professional wrestler, who wrestled under the name Mildred Burke. She is a member of the Professional Wrestling Hall of Fame as well as the Wrestling Observer Hall of Fame. Her heyday lasted from the mid-1930s to the mid-1950s, when she held the World Women's...
. The Professional Bowlers Association
Professional Bowlers Association
The Professional Bowlers Association is the major sanctioning body for the sport of professional ten-pin bowling in the United States. Headquartered in Seattle, Washington, the PBA membership consists of almost 4,300 members worldwide...
started in the city during 1958. LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
' King for Kids bike-a-thon feature James riding with kids through the city each June. In November, the city host the Home Run for the Homeless marathon.
Past sports teams
Former teams of Akron include the Akron Professionals (National Football LeagueNational Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
), Goodyear Silents
Goodyear Silents
The Goodyear Silents was a semi-professional football team based in Akron, Ohio, composed of deaf players. Most, if not all, of the team worked for the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company. During World Wars I and II, many industrial companies hired deaf people, including Goodyear and Firestone in Akron...
(deaf semi-professional football), Akron Black Tyrites
Akron Black Tyrites
The Akron Black Tyrites were a Negro League baseball team that played during the 1933 season. They were based in Akron, Ohio, and were a member team of the Negro National League.-References:...
(Negro League), Akron Americans
Akron Americans
The Akron Americans was a minor league professional ice hockey team from Akron, Ohio, that played in the International Hockey League's south division during the 1948–49 season. The Americans were the first fully professional ice hockey team from Akron...
(International Hockey League), Akron Lightning
Akron Lightning
The Akron Lightning was a team in the International Basketball League's inaugural 2005 campaign. The team played home games at Stow-Munroe Falls High School. Boasting a lineup of primarily local players, the Lightning finished with a dismal 2-15 record, the worst in the 17 team league...
(International Basketball League
International Basketball League
The International Basketball League was a short lived professional basketball league in the United States. The IBL was headquartered in Baltimore, Maryland. The league started in 1999 and ended in 2001.-History:...
), and the Akron Wingfoots
Akron Wingfoots
The Akron Wingfoots are one of the oldest basketball teams in the United States. They were founded in 1918 by the workers at the Goodyear Tire Company in Akron, Ohio...
(National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
), who won the first NBL Championship
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
and the International Cup
Intercontinental Cup (basketball)
The World Cup for Champion Clubs, commonly referred to as the Intercontinental Cup, was a basketball competition endorsed by FIBA to gather the best clubs from the federations affiliated to FIBA and to officially decide the best club of the world, contended mainly by the continents of higher...
three times. The Akron Firestone Non-Skids (National Basketball League
National Basketball League (United States)
Founded in 1937, the National Basketball League, often abbreviated to NBL, was a professional men's basketball league in the United States. The league would later merge with the Basketball Association of America to form the National Basketball Association in 1949.- League history :The...
), later won the title consecutively, in 1939 and 1940.
College sports
As home to the University of AkronUniversity of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
, the city is also home to the Akron Zips
Akron Zips
One of the unique nicknames in all of intercollegiate athletics belongs to The University of Akron. Originally Zippers, athletic director Kenneth Cochrane officially shortened the nickname to the Zips in 1950. Twenty-five years earlier a campus-wide contest had been conducted to choose a nickname...
, who compete in the NCAA
National Collegiate Athletic Association
The National Collegiate Athletic Association is a semi-voluntary association of 1,281 institutions, conferences, organizations and individuals that organizes the athletic programs of many colleges and universities in the United States...
in a variety of sports at the Division I level. Before completion of the InfoCision Stadium – Summa Field, the football team
Akron Zips football
The University of Akron Zips are a college football program representing the University of Akron that competes in NCAA Division I FBS Mid-American Conference football...
played at the historic Rubber Bowl
Rubber Bowl
The Rubber Bowl is a stadium in Akron, Ohio primarily used for American football. From 1940 to 2008, it served as the home field of the University of Akron's Zips football team...
, former home of the 1920 National Football League Championship winners, the Akron Professionals. The men's basketball team
Akron Zips men's basketball
The Akron Zips Men's Basketball team represents the University of Akron in Akron, Ohio. The team currently competes in the Mid-American Conference East division. The team first played in the NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Tournament in 1986 when Bob Huggins was their coach. The Zips are currently...
appeared in the NCAA Tournament in 1986, 2009, and 2011. In 2009, the Zips men's soccer team
Akron Zips men's soccer
The Akron Zips men's soccer team is an intercollegiate varsity sports team of the University of Akron. The team is a member of the Mid-American Conference of the National Collegiate Athletic Association. Akron is regularly ranked in the Top 10 NSCAA Collegiate men's soccer poll, and have achieved...
completed the regular-season undefeated, then won the NCAA Men's Division I Soccer Championship in 2010. Zippy
Zippy (mascot)
Zippy is the mascot of the University of Akron athletics team. Zippy is a kangaroo, and was chosen by a committee in 1953.The school's nickname, "Zips," is a shortening of "Zippers," a pair of rubber overshoes and a brand name of the BF Goodrich Company of Akron. It was originally adopted by the...
, one of the eight female NCAA mascots, won the Capital One
Capital One
Capital One Financial Corp. is a U.S.-based bank holding company specializing in credit cards, home loans, auto loans, banking and savings products...
National Mascot of the Year contest in 2007.
Parks and recreation
Major parks in Akron include Lock 3, Firestone, Goodyear Heights, the F.A. Seiberling Nature Realm (or Naturealm), and part of the Cuyahoga Valley National ParkCuyahoga Valley National Park
Cuyahoga Valley National Park preserves and reclaims the rural landscape along the Cuyahoga River between Akron and Cleveland in Northeast Ohio. The park is the only national park in Ohio.Cuyahoga means "crooked river" in Mohawk....
. Several of the parks along on the locks of the canal. Lock 3 Park in downtown Akron is the city's hub for entertainment. It is commonly used as an outdoor amphitheater hosting live musical entertainment, festivals, and special events year-round. The park was created in the early 21st century to provide green space within the city of Akron. The Ohio-Erie Canal can still be seen flowing behind the stage where there was once a boat yard and dry dock. Later, a pottery factory stood there until the O’Neil’s parking deck was built in the current location. More than 65,000 guests use the park for recreation annually. During Lock 3 Live, it holds concerts for almost every musical genre, including alternative, R&B, reggae, gospel, country, pop, jazz, and classic rock. Some festivals the park hosts throughout the year include Soap Box Derby opening ceremonies, firefighter competitions, charity events, tournaments, and animal events. From November through February, Lock 3 Park is transformed into an outdoor ice-skating rink. Adjacent to the Derby Downs race hill is a 19,000-square-foot (1,800 m2) outdoor skatepark. The park features concrete ramps, including two bowls going as deep as 7 feet (2.1 m), a snake run, two hips, a stair set with handrail, many smaller quarter pipes and a variety of grind boxes. Positioned just a few feet from the Akron Skatepark is a Pro BMX course where organized races are often held in the warmer months.
The Ohio and Erie Canal towpath is a regional bike and hike trail that follows the canal. A bridge was completed in 2008, crossing Route 59/The Innerbelt, which connects the towpath proper with bike routes painted onto streets downtown, thus completing another step towards the connection of Cleveland and East Liverpool with a hike and bike trail. The State of Ohio plans to reconstruct the trail which once ran completely through Ohio, to New Philadelphia from Cleveland. The trail features a floating observation deck section over Summit Lake. It is a popular tourist attraction, as it attracts over 2 million visits annually. The Portage Hike and Bike Trail, when fully complete, will connect with the hike and bike trails in the county.
Media
Akron is served in print by the daily Akron Beacon JournalAkron Beacon Journal
The Akron Beacon Journal is a four-time Pulitzer Prize-winning morning newspaper in Akron, Ohio, United States, and published by Black Press Ltd.. It is the sole daily newspaper in Akron and is distributed throughout Northeast Ohio. The paper places a strong emphasis on local news and business...
and the weekly West Side Leader newspapers and the monthly magazine Akron Life & Leisure. The Buchtelite newspaper is published by the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
.
Akron is less than 40 miles (64.4 km) from Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
, and forms part of the Cleveland-Akron (Canton)
Greater Cleveland
Greater Cleveland is a nickname for the metropolitan area surrounding Cleveland, Ohio and is part of what used to be the Connecticut Western Reserve.Northeast Ohio refers to a similar but substantially larger area as described below...
media market
Media market
A media market, broadcast market, media region, designated market area , Television Market Area , or simply market is a region where the population can receive the same television and radio station offerings, and may also include other types of media including newspapers and Internet content...
, the 18th largest market in the US. However, WAOH-LP
WAOH-LP
WAOH-LP channel 29 in Akron, Ohio and W35AX channel 35, also known as WAX, in Cleveland, Ohio are low power Class A television stations serving the Akron/Cleveland market...
, WEAO (PBS), WVPX
WVPX
WVPX-TV is the Cleveland, Ohio affiliate of the Ion Television network . It is licensed to Akron, with a transmitter located on the west side of Akron just north of Rolling Acres Mall....
(ION), and WBNX-TV
WBNX-TV
WBNX-TV, virtual channel 55 , is the CW television affiliate serving the Cleveland/Akron/Canton, Ohio television market; it brands itself as "WBNX, The CW". The studios are located in Cuyahoga Falls and the transmitter is in Parma, although it is licensed to Akron...
(CW
The CW Television Network
The CW Television Network is a television network in the United States launched at the beginning of the 2006–2007 television season. It is a joint venture between CBS Corporation, the former owners of United Paramount Network , and Time Warner's Warner Bros., former majority owner of The WB...
) are licensed to Akron. WAOH and WEAO serve the city of Akron specifically, while WBNX and WVPX identify themselves as Akron/Cleveland, serving the entire Northeast Ohio market. Akron has no native news broadcast, having lost its only news station when the former WAKC became WVPX in 1996. WVPX and Cleveland's WKYC later provided a joint news program, which was cancelled in 2005.
On the radio side, Akron is served by WZIP
WZIP
WZIP — branded Z88 — is a college pop/contemporary hit radio radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio and owned by the The University of Akron. WZIP also airs a block of rock music nightly from 7pm to 4am.-History:...
88.1 (Top 40 / College – University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
), WAPS 91.3 (Varied formats: local artists, modern rock, blues, jazz and public radio), WAKR
WAKR
WAKR — branded 1590 WAKR — is a commercial radio station in Akron, Ohio. It is owned by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc. which also owns Akron's WONE-FM and WQMX...
1590 (Oldies), WKDD
WKDD
WKDD — branded The New 98.1 'KDD — is a commercial hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Munroe Falls, Ohio serving the Akron and Canton metro areas. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications...
98.1 (Adult contemporary), WHLO
WHLO
WHLO is an AM radio station in Akron, Ohio, USA, operating on 640 kHz, and owned by Clear Channel Communications.The station has a news/talk format with Jim Quinn's program from WPGB in Pittsburgh, and a schedule of syndicated talkers during the day, headed by Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity, with a...
640 (News/talk), WJMP
WJMP
WJMP AM 1520 is daytime only radio station licensed to Kent, Ohio and serving the Akron, Ohio radio market. WJMP operates with a maximum power output of 1,000 watts, using a six-tower, daytime-only directional antenna pattern....
1520 (News/Talk), WKSU 89.7 (National Public Radio, operated from the campus of Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
), WONE
WONE-FM
WONE-FM — branded 97.5 WONE — is a commercial album-oriented rock radio station licensed to Akron, Ohio that primarily serves the Akron radio market. Owned by Rubber City Radio Group, Inc. which also owns Akron's WAKR and WQMX...
97.5 (Classic rock), WNIR-FM 100.1 (News/talk), WSTB
WSTB
WSTB — branded The AlterNation — is a modern rock high school radio station in Streetsboro, Ohio and is entirely locally produced. WSTB provides coverage to Northeast Ohio-Akron market. They are located on the FM dial at 88.9 MHz, providing Modern Rock from Monday through Saturday. On...
88.9 (Alternative), WARF
Warf
Warf or WARF may refer to:* WARF, a radio station in Akron, Ohio, USA* Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation, technology transfer office of the University of Wisconsin–Madison, USA* Warf, an artificial dwelling hill...
1350 (Fox Sports Ohio), WQMX
WQMX
WQMX — branded FM 94.9 WQMX — is a commercial country radio station serving to the Akron, Ohio metro area. It is licensed to nearby Medina, Ohio and is owned by the Rubber City Radio Group, Inc. which also owns Akron's WAKR and WONE-FM....
94.9 (Country), WRQK 106.9 (Rock), and WHOF
WHOF
WHOF — branded My 101.7 — is a commercial FM radio station serving Akron/Canton, Ohio, licensed to the suburb of North Canton. It is part of the Clear Channel Akron/Canton cluster, along with WARF, WHLO, WKDD, and WRQK-FM....
101.7 (AC).
Economy
Many industries in the United States either began or were influenced by the city. After beginning the tireTire
A tire or tyre is a ring-shaped covering that fits around a wheel rim to protect it and enable better vehicle performance by providing a flexible cushion that absorbs shock while keeping the wheel in close contact with the ground...
and rubber
Rubber
Natural rubber, also called India rubber or caoutchouc, is an elastomer that was originally derived from latex, a milky colloid produced by some plants. The plants would be ‘tapped’, that is, an incision made into the bark of the tree and the sticky, milk colored latex sap collected and refined...
industry during the 20th century with the founding of Goodrich
Goodrich Corporation
The Goodrich Corporation , formerly the B.F. Goodrich Company, is an American aerospace manufacturing company based in Charlotte, North Carolina. Founded in Akron, Ohio in 1870 as Goodrich, Tew & Co. by Dr. Benjamin Franklin Goodrich. The company name was changed to the "B.F...
, Firestone
Firestone Tire and Rubber Company
The Firestone Tire and Rubber Company is an American tire company founded by Harvey Firestone in 1900 to supply pneumatic tires for wagons, buggies, and other forms of wheeled transportation common in the era. Firestone soon saw the huge potential for marketing tires for automobiles. The company...
, General Tire
General Tire
The General Tire and Rubber Company is an American manufacturer of tires for motor vehicles.General Tire was founded in 1915 in Akron, Ohio by William F. O'Neil. Products included the low-pressure "General Balloon Jumbo" and the "Dual 90" tire...
, also the Goodyear
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
merger with The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly Springfield Tire Company
The Kelly-Springfield Tire Company was founded in Springfield, Ohio by Edwin Kelly and Arthur Grant in 1894.-Formation:Edwin Kelly originally called the company The Rubber Tire Wheel Company because it made rubber carriage wheels. Arthur Grant was issued for his solid rubber tire in a rim channel...
gained the status of, "Rubber Capital of the World". Akron has won economic awards such as for City Livability and All-American City, and deemed a high tech
High tech
High tech is technology that is at the cutting edge: the most advanced technology currently available. It is often used in reference to micro-electronics, rather than other technologies. The adjective form is hyphenated: high-tech or high-technology...
haven greatly contributing to the in the Information Age
Information Age
The Information Age, also commonly known as the Computer Age or Digital Age, is an idea that the current age will be characterized by the ability of individuals to transfer information freely, and to have instant access to knowledge that would have been difficult or impossible to find previously...
. Current Fortune 500
Fortune 500
The Fortune 500 is an annual list compiled and published by Fortune magazine that ranks the top 500 U.S. closely held and public corporations as ranked by their gross revenue after adjustments made by Fortune to exclude the impact of excise taxes companies collect. The list includes publicly and...
companies headquartered in the city include the Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company
The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery....
and FirstEnergy. In addition, the city is the headquarters to a number of other notable companies such as A. Schulman, GOJO
Gojo
- Names :—a Japanese kuge family descended from the Sugawara clan* Gojo Takeshi, a character in Kodocha—see List of Kodocha characters- Places :...
, Advanced Elastomer Systems, FirstMerit Bank, Roadway Express, Myers Industries, Acme Fresh Market
Acme Fresh Market
Akron, Ohio grocery chain. For the unrelated Philadelphia-area chain, see Acme Markets.Acme Fresh Market is a grocery store chain with 16 locations in Northeast Ohio serving Portage, Stark, Summit, & Cuyahoga Counties...
, Sterling Jewelers
Sterling Jewelers
Sterling Jewelers, Inc. is a specialty jewelry company headquartered in Akron, Ohio, United States. The company was first founded in 1906 by Henry Shaw , from LeRoy's Jewelers in Lorain, Ohio...
, and Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin
Lockheed Martin is an American global aerospace, defense, security, and advanced technology company with worldwide interests. It was formed by the merger of Lockheed Corporation with Martin Marietta in March 1995. It is headquartered in Bethesda, Maryland, in the Washington Metropolitan Area....
, Maritime Systems & Sensors Division. Goodyear, the fifth-largest private employer in Summit County, is currently constructing a new headquarters in the city. The project referred to as, Akron Riverwalk, will feature a large retail and commercial development area. The project began in 2007, but was put on hold due to the financial crisis of 2007–2010, and is now continuing. Bridgestone
Bridgestone
The is a multinational rubber conglomerate founded in 1931 by in the city of Kurume, Fukuoka, Japan. The name Bridgestone comes from a calque translation and transposition of ishibashi, meaning "stone bridge" in Japanese....
is building a new technical center, with state-of-the-art R&D labs, where its operation will relocate to by 2012. The Eastern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
Division
Division (business)
A division of a business entity is a portion of that business that operates under a different name. It is the equivalent of a corporation or limited liability company obtaining a fictitious name or "doing business as" certificate and operating a business under that fictitious name...
of KeyBank, which has six branches in the city, built a regional headquarters in Downtown. The city has a free WiFi
WIFI
WIFI is a radio station broadcasting a brokered format. Licensed to Florence, New Jersey, USA, the station is currently operated by Florence Broadcasting Partners, LLC.This station was previously owned by Real Life Broadcasting...
corridor centered in downtown. Neighborhoods in range include Goodyear Heights, East Akron, North Hill, Firestone Park, Kenmore, and West Akron. Some frequented locations in the area include, Akron-Summit County Public Library
Akron-Summit County Public Library
The Akron-Summit County Public Library is “recognized locally as an essential community asset, and nationally as one of the finest public libraries in the United States due to its excellent customer service, collaborative community involvement, and high level of customer and employee satisfaction”...
, John S. Knight Center
John S. Knight Center
The John S. Knight Center is a large convocation center located in Akron, Ohio, named after the newspaper publisher and editor John S. Knight....
, and the Intermodel Transit Center.
Polymer Valley
Polymer Valley is in the northeastern part of the Ohio, centered in Akron. The area holds forty-five percent of the state's polymer industries with the oldest starting the 19th century. It is considered the polymer manufacturing center in the country, due to the educational, mineral, and transportation resources of the area. During the 1980s and 1990s, an influx of new polymer companies came to the region. In 2001, more than 400 companies manufactured polymer-based materials in the region. Many University of AkronUniversity of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
scientists became world renowned for their research done at the Goodyear Polymer Center
Goodyear Polymer Center
The Goodyear Polymer Center is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. It consists of 12-story and 9-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction.-Facilities:...
. The first College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering was begun by the university. In 2010, the National Polymer Innovation Center opened on campus.
Hospitals
Akron has designated an area called the Biomedical Corridor, aimed at luring health-related ventures to the region. It encompasses 1240 acres (5 km²) of private and publicly owned land, bounded by Akron General on the west and Akron City on the east, and also includes Akron Children’s near the district’s center with Saint Thomas Hospital to the north of its northern boundaries. Since its start in 2006, the corridor added the headquarters of companies such as Akron Polymer Systems.Akron's adult hospitals are owned by two health systems, Summa Health System
Summa Health System
Summa Health System is an organized delivery system in Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, an entrepreneurial entity, research and a foundation,...
and Akron General Health System. Summa Health System operates Akron City Hospital and St. Thomas Hospital, which in 2008, were recognized for the 11th consecutive year as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. Summa is recognized as having one of the best orthopaedics programs in the nation with a ranking of 28th. Akron General Health System operates Akron General Medical Center, which in 2009, was recognized as one of “America’s Best Hospitals” by U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report
U.S. News & World Report is an American news magazine published from Washington, D.C. Along with Time and Newsweek it was for many years a leading news weekly, focusing more than its counterparts on political, economic, health and education stories...
. Akron Children's Hospital
Akron Children's Hospital
The Akron Children's Hospital is a children's hospital located in Akron, Ohio.-History:Akron Children’s Hospital began as a day nursery in 1890. In 2010 it was the largest pediatric health care provider in northeast Ohio...
is an independent entity that specializes in pediatric care and burn care. In 1974, Dr. Howard Igel and Dr. Aaron Freeman successfully grew human skin in a lab to treat burn victims, making Akron Children's Hospital the first hospital in the world to achieve such a feat. Akron City and Akron General hospitals are designated Level I Trauma Centers.
Top employers
According to the City's 2009 Comprehensive Annual Financial Report, the top private sector employers in the city are:| # | Employer | # of Employees |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Summa Health System Summa Health System Summa Health System is an organized delivery system in Ohio. Encompassing a network of hospitals, community health centers, a health plan, a physician-hospital organization, an entrepreneurial entity, research and a foundation,... |
5,669 |
| 2 | Akron General Health System | 4,532 |
| 3 | University of Akron University of Akron The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of... |
4,427 |
| 4 | County of Summit Summit County, Ohio Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron... |
3,388 |
| 5 | Akron Public Schools | 3,131 |
| 6 | Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company Goodyear Tire and Rubber Company The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company was founded in 1898 by Frank Seiberling. Goodyear manufactures tires for automobiles, commercial trucks, light trucks, SUVs, race cars, airplanes, farm equipment and heavy earth-mover machinery.... |
3,001 |
| 7 | Akron Children's Hospital Akron Children's Hospital The Akron Children's Hospital is a children's hospital located in Akron, Ohio.-History:Akron Children’s Hospital began as a day nursery in 1890. In 2010 it was the largest pediatric health care provider in northeast Ohio... |
2,680 |
| 8 | Time Warner Cable Time Warner Cable Time Warner Cable is an American cable television company that operates in 28 states and has 31 operating divisions... |
2,440 |
| 9 | FirstEnergy FirstEnergy FirstEnergy Corp. , is a diversified energy company headquartered in Akron, Ohio. Its subsidiaries and affiliates are involved in the generation, transmission, and distribution of electricity, as well as energy management and other energy-related services... |
2,316 |
| 10 | Sterling Jewelers Sterling Jewelers Sterling Jewelers, Inc. is a specialty jewelry company headquartered in Akron, Ohio, United States. The company was first founded in 1906 by Henry Shaw , from LeRoy's Jewelers in Lorain, Ohio... |
2,045 |
Government and politics
The mayor of Akron is elected in a citywide vote, the city has reached its 59th mayor. They city is divided into 10 wards, each elect a member to the Akron City Council, while an additional 3 are elected at large. The mayor's cabinent currently consist of directors and deputy directors of administration, communications, community relations, economic development, intergovernmental relations, labor relations, law, planning & urban development, planning director - deputy, public safety, and public service. The city adopted a new charter of the commissioner manager typeCity commission government
City commission government is a form of municipal government which once was common in the United States, but many cities which were formerly governed by commission have since switched to the council-manager form of government...
in 1920, but reverted to its old form in 1924.
The current mayor of Akron is Don Plusquellic
Don Plusquellic
Donald L. Plusquellic is the current mayor of Akron, Ohio. First elected in 1987, he became the 59th Mayor of Akron after previously serving 13 years on Akron City Council...
, who is currently serving his fifth term and was the President of the United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors
United States Conference of Mayors, sometimes referred to as the United States Council of Mayors, is the official non-partisan organization for cities with populations of 30,000 or more. The cities are each represented by their mayor or other chief elected official...
during 2004. Plusquellic is also a member of the Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns Coalition
Mayors Against Illegal Guns is a coalition of over 600 mayors who support a number of gun control initiatives that the group calls "commonsense reforms" to fight illegal gun trafficking and gun violence in the United States...
, a bi-partisan group dedicated to making the public safer by getting illegal guns off the streets. In 2008, he was selected along with other mayors, by President Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to work on solving the Global financial crisis of 2008–2009 at the local level. He defeated a recall
Recall election
A recall election is a procedure by which voters can remove an elected official from office through a direct vote before his or her term has ended...
attempt in 2009.
Humanitarian affairs
Aside from city founder, Simon PerkinsSimon Perkins
General Simon Perkins was an early settler, businessman and surveyor of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, which would later become northeast Ohio. He co-founded Akron, Ohio with Paul Williams in 1825. He served as a brigadier-general during the War of 1812....
, negotiating a treaty with Native Americans
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
to establish a mail route from the Connecticut Western Reserve
Connecticut Western Reserve
The Connecticut Western Reserve was land claimed by Connecticut from 1662 to 1800 in the Northwest Territory in what is now northeastern Ohio.-History:...
to Detroit in 1807, others partook in historic humanitarian affairs in Akron. Aside from being part of the Underground Railroad
Underground Railroad
The Underground Railroad was an informal network of secret routes and safe houses used by 19th-century black slaves in the United States to escape to free states and Canada with the aid of abolitionists and allies who were sympathetic to their cause. The term is also applied to the abolitionists,...
, when active, John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
was a resident, today having two landmarks (John Brown House) (John Brown Monument) dedicated to him. During the 1851 Women's Rights Convention, Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth
Sojourner Truth was the self-given name, from 1843 onward, of Isabella Baumfree, an African-American abolitionist and women's rights activist. Truth was born into slavery in Swartekill, New York, but escaped with her infant daughter to freedom in 1826. After going to court to recover her son, she...
delivered her speech entitled "Ain't I A Woman?". In 1905, a statue of an Indian named Unk was erected on Portage Path, which was part of the effective western boundary of the White and Native American lands from 1785 to 1805. The Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
chapter of the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
reported having 50,000 members, making it the largest local chapter in the country during the 20th century. In 1905, the sheriff, county officials, mayor of Akron, judges, county commissioners, and most members of Akron's school board were members. The Klan's influence in the city's politics eventually ended after Wendell Willkie
Wendell Willkie
Wendell Lewis Willkie was a corporate lawyer in the United States and a dark horse who became the Republican Party nominee for the president in 1940. A member of the liberal wing of the GOP, he crusaded against those domestic policies of the New Deal that he thought were inefficient and...
, arrived and challenged them. Race took part in two of Akron's major riots, the Riot of 1900 and the Wooster Ave. Riots of 1968. Others giving speeches on race, in the city include Dr. W.E.B. DuBois (1920) and President Bill Clinton
Bill Clinton
William Jefferson "Bill" Clinton is an American politician who served as the 42nd President of the United States from 1993 to 2001. Inaugurated at age 46, he was the third-youngest president. He took office at the end of the Cold War, and was the first president of the baby boomer generation...
(1997). In 1971, Alpha Phi Alpha Homes Inc.
Alpha Phi Alpha
Alpha Phi Alpha is the first Inter-Collegiate Black Greek Letter fraternity. It was founded on December 4, 1906 at Cornell University in Ithaca, New York. Its founders are known as the "Seven Jewels". Alpha Phi Alpha developed a model that was used by the many Black Greek Letter Organizations ...
was founded in Akron by the Eta Tau Lambda chapter, with James R. Williams
James R. Williams (lawyer)
James R. Williams in Columbus, Mississippi is a U.S. lawyer, politician and jurist.Williams received his undergraduate and juris doctorate degree from University of Akron.Williams supported gun control as an Akron, Ohio councilman....
as chairman. The centerpiece, Henry Arthur Callis Tower, is located in the Channelwood Village area of the city. In 2008, 91 year old Akron native, Addie Polk, became the poster child
Poster child
A poster child is a child afflicted by some disease or deformity whose picture is used on posters or other media as part of a campaign to raise money or enlist volunteers for a cause or organization...
of the financial crisis of 2007–2010, after shooting herself.
Demographics
Census
A census is the procedure of systematically acquiring and recording information about the members of a given population. It is a regularly occurring and official count of a particular population. The term is used mostly in connection with national population and housing censuses; other common...
of 2000, there were 217,074 people, 90,116 households, and 53,709 families residing in the city. The population density
Population density
Population density is a measurement of population per unit area or unit volume. It is frequently applied to living organisms, and particularly to humans...
was 3,497.3 people per square mile (1,350.3/km²). There were 97,315 housing units at an average density of 1,567.9 per square mile (605.3/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 67.22% White, 28.48% African American, 0.26% Native American, 1.50% Asian, 0.02% Pacific Islander, 0.43% from other races
Race (United States Census)
Race and ethnicity in the United States Census, as defined by the Federal Office of Management and Budget and the United States Census Bureau, are self-identification data items in which residents choose the race or races with which they most closely identify, and indicate whether or not they are...
, and 2.07% from two or more races. Hispanic or Latino of any race were 1.16% of the population. The top 5 largest ancestries include German
German American
German Americans are citizens of the United States of German ancestry and comprise about 51 million people, or 17% of the U.S. population, the country's largest self-reported ancestral group...
(18.1%), Irish
Irish American
Irish Americans are citizens of the United States who can trace their ancestry to Ireland. A total of 36,278,332 Americans—estimated at 11.9% of the total population—reported Irish ancestry in the 2008 American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau...
(11.5%), English
English American
English Americans are citizens or residents of the United States whose ancestry originates wholly or partly in England....
(7.2%), Italian
Italian American
An Italian American , is an American of Italian ancestry. The designation may also refer to someone possessing Italian and American dual citizenship...
(6.8%), and American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
(6.4%).
There were 90,116 households out of which 28.5% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 37.5% were married couples
Marriage
Marriage is a social union or legal contract between people that creates kinship. It is an institution in which interpersonal relationships, usually intimate and sexual, are acknowledged in a variety of ways, depending on the culture or subculture in which it is found...
living together, 17.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 40.4% were non-families. 33.1% of all households were made up of individuals and 11.2% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.35 and the average family size was 3.01.
In the city the population was spread out with 25.3% under the age of 18, 10.5% from 18 to 24, 30.3% from 25 to 44, 20.3% from 45 to 64, and 13.5% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 34 years. For every 100 females there were 91.4 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 87.6 males.
The median income for a household in the city was $31,835, and the median income for a family was $39,381. Males had a median income of $31,898 versus $24,121 for females. The per capita income
Per capita income
Per capita income or income per person is a measure of mean income within an economic aggregate, such as a country or city. It is calculated by taking a measure of all sources of income in the aggregate and dividing it by the total population...
for the city was $17,596. About 14.0% of families and 17.5% of the population were below the poverty line, including 25.7% of those under age 18 and 9.7% of those age 65 or over.
Akron has a metropolitan population of 694,960 (U.S. Census Bureau, 2000). Akron is also part of the larger Cleveland-Akron-Elyria Combined Statistical Area, which was the 14th largest in the country with a population of over 2.9 million according to the 2000 Census.
Education
PreschoolPreschool education
Preschool education is the provision of learning to children before the commencement of statutory and obligatory education, usually between the ages of zero and three or five, depending on the jurisdiction....
, elementary
Primary education
A primary school is an institution in which children receive the first stage of compulsory education known as primary or elementary education. Primary school is the preferred term in the United Kingdom and many Commonwealth Nations, and in most publications of the United Nations Educational,...
, and secondary education
Secondary education
Secondary education is the stage of education following primary education. Secondary education includes the final stage of compulsory education and in many countries it is entirely compulsory. The next stage of education is usually college or university...
is mainly provided by the Akron City School District. Planning of the district began in 1840, when Ansel Miller suggested to build free public schools for all children in the city, paid for by property taxes. After enduring much opposition by citizens, in 1843 Miller joined with Rev. Isaac Jennings. Three years later, Jennings became the chairman of a committee of citizens who discussed how to improve the school system. On November 21, 1846, their plan was approved unanimously by the citizens. The Ohio Legislature adopted the plan, called "An act for the support and better regulation of the Common Schools of the Town of Akron" on February 8, 1847. Akron’s first public schools were established in the fall of 1847 and were led by Mortimer Leggett. The first annual report showed that it cost less than $2 a year to educate a child. In 1857 the cost of running the schools for a year was $4,200. The primary schools were taught by young women, which the Akron Board of Education justified because they could be paid less and were under the supervision of a male superintendent. From 1877 to 1952, Akron graduated students semi-annually instead of annually. 9% of the city’s school-aged population were born in other countries in 1888. In the 1920s, an Americanization program was designed to help the many Akron students who were first-generation Americans. Classes were in the rubber companies and some of the schools. A “continuation school” began for working boys and girls who were required by law to have at least four hours of schooling a week. In 1924, Akron's platoon schools attracted visitors from all over the country. Being a stronghold for the Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan
Ku Klux Klan, often abbreviated KKK and informally known as the Klan, is the name of three distinct past and present far-right organizations in the United States, which have advocated extremist reactionary currents such as white supremacy, white nationalism, and anti-immigration, historically...
during the decade, the majority of school board and government officials were members. Their influence ended with the arrival of Wendell Willkie
Wendell Willkie
Wendell Lewis Willkie was a corporate lawyer in the United States and a dark horse who became the Republican Party nominee for the president in 1940. A member of the liberal wing of the GOP, he crusaded against those domestic policies of the New Deal that he thought were inefficient and...
. During the city's 1950s boom town phase, Akron schools grew eight times faster than the city’s population. In 1967, Kenmore launched the Air Force JROTC. In 1971, Jennings piloted the middle school model, which moved ninth-graders to the senior high school. In 1984, all-day kindergarten was piloted at Seiberling, Rankin and Hatton schools, and Ellet, East and Garfield high schools piloted the in-school suspension program. The district received an A+ evaluation from the state in 1987.
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
, which the Princeton Review listed among the Best in the Midwest, in 2008. Originally Buchtel College, the school is home the Goodyear Polymer Center
Goodyear Polymer Center
The Goodyear Polymer Center is a 146,000 sq. ft. research facility, located at the University of Akron, in Akron, Ohio. It consists of 12-story and 9-story towers connected by glass-enclosed walkways that serve as areas for informal interaction.-Facilities:...
and the National Polymer Innovation Center. All Akron Public Schools are currently going through a 15-year, $800 million rebuilding process. In recent times the city’s schools have been moved from “Academic Watch” to “Continuous Improvement” by the Ohio Department of Education. Akron also has many private, parochial and charter schools. Akron Public Schools made headlines in 2004 when a freshman student of Akron Digital Academy, the district’s own online charter school, was not allowed to participate in extracurricular activities, an event later covered and satirized by The Daily Show
The Daily Show
The Daily Show , is an American late night satirical television program airing each Monday through Thursday on Comedy Central. The half-hour long show premiered on July 21, 1996, and was hosted by Craig Kilborn until December 1998...
. National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
player LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
, attended St. Vincent - St. Mary High School
St. Vincent - St. Mary High School
St. Vincent – St. Mary High School is a private, coed, Catholic high school located in Akron, Ohio. The school is commonly abbreviated SVSM, St. V-M, ASVSM, or STVM. However, the school's official abbreviation is STVM...
.
Airports
The primary terminal that airline passengers, travelling to or from Akron, use is the Akron-Canton Regional AirportAkron-Canton Regional Airport
Akron-Canton Regional Airport is a commercial Class C airport located in the city of Green, in southern Summit County, Ohio roughly southeast of Akron, northwest of Canton, and northeast of Massillon...
, which in 2010, had its busiest January of all time with nearly 107,000 passengers. The Akron-Canton Airport is a commercial Class C
Airspace class
The world's navigable airspace is divided into three-dimensional segments, each of which is assigned to a specific class. Most nations adhere to the classification specified by the International Civil Aviation Organization and described below...
airport
Airport
An airport is a location where aircraft such as fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters, and blimps take off and land. Aircraft may be stored or maintained at an airport...
located in the city of Green
Green, Ohio
Green is a suburban city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,699 at the 2010 census. It is located almost exactly midway between the cities of Akron and Canton, although it is part of the Akron Metropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, roughly 10 miles (16 km) southeast of Akron operated jointly by Stark
Stark County, Ohio
Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 375,586. It is included in the Canton-Massillon, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area....
and Summit
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
counties. Two low-fare airlines, Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines
Frontier Airlines, Inc., is an American airline headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. The carrier, which is a subsidiary and operating brand of Republic Airways Holdings, operates flights to 83 destinations throughout the United States, Mexico, and Costa Rica and maintains hubs at...
and AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways
AirTran Airways, a subsidiary of the Dallas, Texas-based Southwest Airlines, is an American low-cost airline headquartered in Orlando, Florida. AirTran operates over 650 daily flights , primarily in the eastern and midwestern United States...
, have begun serving Akron-Canton in recent years, making it an alternative for travellers to or from the Cleveland area as well. Akron Fulton International Airport
Akron Fulton International Airport
Akron Fulton International Airport is a general aviation airport located in Akron, a city in Summit County, Ohio, United States. It is owned by the City of Akron. This airport is included in the FAA's National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems for 2011–2015 which categorized it as a general...
is a general aviation
General aviation
General aviation is one of the two categories of civil aviation. It refers to all flights other than military and scheduled airline and regular cargo flights, both private and commercial. General aviation flights range from gliders and powered parachutes to large, non-scheduled cargo jet flights...
airport located in and owned by the City of Akron that serves private planes. It first opened in 1929 and has operated in several different capacities since then. The airport had commercial scheduled airline service until the 1950s and it is now used for both cargo and private planes.
It is home of the Lockheed Martin Airdock
Goodyear Airdock
The Goodyear Airdock is an airship storage and construction hangar in Akron, Ohio.-History:Built and previously owned by the Goodyear-Zeppelin Corporation, later Goodyear Aerospace, it was constructed from April 20, 1929 to November 25, 1929, at a cost of $2.2 million...
, where the Goodyear blimps were originally stored and maintained. The Goodyear blimps are now housed outside of Akron in a facility on the shores of Wingfoot Lake in nearby Suffield Township
Suffield Township, Portage County, Ohio
Suffield Township is one of the eighteen townships of Portage County, Ohio, United States. The 2000 census found 6,383 people in the township.-Geography:Located in the southwestern corner of the county, it borders the following townships and municipalities:...
.
Railroads
Akron Northside Station is a train station located in the city at 27 Ridge Street along the Cuyahoga Valley Scenic RailroadCuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad
Cuyahoga Valley Scenic Railroad is a Class III railroad and steam-powered excursion trips through Peninsula, Ohio in the Cuyahoga Valley, primarily through the scenic Cuyahoga Valley National Park.-History:...
.
Bus and public transportation
Public transportation is available through the METRO Regional Transit Authority system, which has a fleet of over two hundred buses and trolleys and operates local routes as well as running commuter buses into downtown Cleveland. Stark Area Regional Transit Authority (SARTA) also has a bus line running between CantonCanton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
and Akron and the Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority
Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority
The Portage Area Regional Transportation Authority, commonly referred to as PARTA is the transit agency serving Portage County, Ohio. It is headquartered in Franklin Township just outside the Kent city limits. PARTA was formed in 1975 from an agreement between the city of Kent and Franklin...
(PARTA) runs an express route connecting the University of Akron
University of Akron
The University of Akron is a coeducational public research university located in Akron, Ohio, United States. The university is part of the University System of Ohio. It was founded in 1870 as a small college affiliated with the Universalist Church. In 1913 ownership was transferred to the City of...
with Kent State University
Kent State University
Kent State University is a public research university located in Kent, Ohio, United States. The university has eight campuses around the northeast Ohio region with the main campus in Kent being the largest...
.
Metro RTA operates out of the Intermodal Transit Center located on South Broadway Street. This facility, which opened on January 18, 2009, also houses inter-city bus transportation available through Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines
Greyhound Lines, Inc., based in Dallas, Texas, is an intercity common carrier of passengers by bus serving over 3,700 destinations in the United States, Canada and Mexico, operating under the well-known logo of a leaping greyhound. It was founded in Hibbing, Minnesota, USA, in 1914 and...
.
Freeways
Akron is served by two major Interstates that bisect the city. Unlike other cities, the bisection does not occur in the Central Business District, nor do the Interstates serve the downtown region, rather The Akron Innerbelt and to a much lesser extent Ohio State Route 8 serve these functions.- Interstate 77Interstate 77Interstate 77 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern United States. It traverses diverse terrain, from the mountainous state of West Virginia to the rolling farmlands of North Carolina and Ohio. It largely supplants the old U.S...
connects Marietta, OhioMarietta, OhioMarietta is a city in and the county seat of Washington County, Ohio, United States. During 1788, pioneers to the Ohio Country established Marietta as the first permanent American settlement of the new United States in the Northwest Territory. Marietta is located in southeastern Ohio at the mouth...
to Cleveland, OhioCleveland, OhioCleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
. In Akron, it features 15 interchanges, four of which permit freeway to freeway movements. It runs north-south at the southern part of the city to its concurrency with I-76Interstate 76 (east)Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
where it takes a westerly turn and after the concurrency takes a northwest turn.
- Interstate 76Interstate 76 (east)Interstate 76 is an Interstate Highway in the United States, running 435 miles from an interchange with Interstate 71 west of Akron, Ohio, east to Interstate 295 near Camden, New Jersey....
connects Interstate 71 to Youngstown, OhioYoungstown, OhioYoungstown is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Mahoning County; it also extends into Trumbull County. The municipality is situated on the Mahoning River, approximately southeast of Cleveland and northwest of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania...
and farther environs. It runs east-west and has 18 interchanges in Akron, four of which are freeway to freeway. The East Leg was rebuilt in the 1990s to feature 6 lanes and longer merge lanes. The concurrency with Interstate 77 is eight lanes. The Kenmore Leg is a four lane leg that is slightly less than two miles (3 km) long and connects to I-277.
- Interstate 277Interstate 277 (Ohio)Interstate 277 is a connector route linking Interstate 76 and Interstate 77 in Akron, Ohio. It was completed in 1970 and shares its entire length with U.S. Route 224.-Exit list:The entire route is in Akron, Summit County.-References:...
is an east-west spur that it forms with US 224 after I-76 splits to the north to form the Kenmore Leg. It is six lane and cosigned with U.S. 224.
- The Akron Innerbelt is a six lane, 2.24 miles (3.6 km) spur from the I-76/I-77 concurrency and serves the urban core of the city. Its ramps are directional from the Interstates so it only serves west side drivers. ODOT is considering changing this design to attract more traffic to the route. The freeway comes to an abrupt end near the northern boundary of downtown where it becomes Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. The freeway itself is officially known as "The Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial Freeway". The freeway was originally designed to connect directly to State Route 8, but plans were laid to rest in the mid seventies due to financial troubles.
- Ohio State Route 8 is an original state highway that is a limited access route that connects Akron's northern suburbs with Interstates 76 and 77. State Route 8's southern terminus is at the central interchange where it meets I-76 and I-77. The second freeway in Akron to be completed, it went through a major overhaul in 2003 with brand new ramps and access roads. In 2007 ODOT began a project to upgrade the road to Interstate highway standards north of Akron from State Route 303 to I-271, providing a high speed alternative to Cleveland.
Crime
In 1999, Akron ranked as the 94th most dangerous city and the 229th safest, on the 7th Morgan QuitnoMorgan Quitno
Morgan Quitno Press is a research and publishing company based in Lawrence, Kansas, which compiles books with statistics of crime rates, health care, education, and other categories, ranking cities and states in the United States...
list. Preliminary Ohio crime statistics show aggravated assaults increased by 45% during 2007. Akron became the first city in the United States to train and equip officers with the CornerShot
CornerShot
CornerShot is a weapon accessory invented by Lt. Col. Amos Golan of the Israeli Defense Forces in cooperation with American investors. It was designed in the early 2000s for SWAT teams and special forces in hostile situations usually involving terrorists and hostages...
, to aid them in fighting crime. The city invented the first patrol cars to assist officers.
Historically, organized crime
Organized crime
Organized crime or criminal organizations are transnational, national, or local groupings of highly centralized enterprises run by criminals for the purpose of engaging in illegal activity, most commonly for monetary profit. Some criminal organizations, such as terrorist organizations, are...
operated in the city with the presence of the Black Hand led by Rosario Borgio
Rosario Borgio
Rosario Giuseppe Borgio was an early Italian-American mobster establishing one of the first organized crime operations in the Midwest during the early 20th century.-Black Hand:...
, once headquartered on the city's north side in the first decade of the 20th century and the Walker-Mitchell mob, of which Pretty Boy Floyd
Pretty Boy Floyd
Charles Arthur "Pretty Boy" Floyd was an American bank robber. He operated in the West South Central States, and his criminal exploits gained heavy press coverage in the 1930s. Like most other prominent outlaws of that era, he was killed by law enforcement officers...
was a member. Akron has experienced several riots in its history including, the Riot of 1900
Crime in Akron, Ohio
-Early crime in Akron:The first police car was an electric wagon that made its appearance on the streets of Akron in 1899. Akron was one of the first Mafia cities in the 20th century Midwest. The Black Hand, led by Don Rosario Borgio, who arrived in Akron in the early 1900s, was headquartered on...
and the Wooster Avenue Riots of 1968
Crime in Akron, Ohio
-Early crime in Akron:The first police car was an electric wagon that made its appearance on the streets of Akron in 1899. Akron was one of the first Mafia cities in the 20th century Midwest. The Black Hand, led by Don Rosario Borgio, who arrived in Akron in the early 1900s, was headquartered on...
.
Methamphetamine history
The distribution of methamphetamineMethamphetamine
Methamphetamine is a psychostimulant of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of psychoactive drugs...
("meth") in Akron greatly contributed to Summit County
Summit County, Ohio
Summit County is an urban county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2000 census, the population was 542,899. In the 2010 Census the population was 541,781. Its county seat is Akron...
becoming known as the "Meth Capital of Ohio". The county ranks third in the nation in the number of registered meth sites. During the 1990s, motorcycle gang the Hells Angels
Hells Angels
The Hells Angels Motorcycle Club is a worldwide one-percenter motorcycle gang and organized crime syndicate whose members typically ride Harley-Davidson motorcycles. In the United States and Canada, the Hells Angels are incorporated as the Hells Angels Motorcycle Corporation. Their primary motto...
sold the drug from bars frequented by members. Between January 2004 and August 2009, the city had significantly more registered sites than any other city in the state. Authority believe a disruption of a major Mexican meth operation, attributed to the increase of it being made locally. In 2007, APD received a grant to help continue its work with other agencies and jurisdictions to support them in ridding the city of meth labs. The Akron Police Department coordinates with the Summit County Drug Unit and the Drug Enforcement Administration, forming the Clandestine Methamphetamine Laboratory Response Team.
Notable people
Akron has produced and been home to a number of notable individuals in varying fields. Its natives and residents are referred to as "Akronites". The first postmaster of the Connecticut Western Reserve and president of its bank, GeneralGeneral
A general officer is an officer of high military rank, usually in the army, and in some nations, the air force. The term is widely used by many nations of the world, and when a country uses a different term, there is an equivalent title given....
Simon Perkins
Simon Perkins
General Simon Perkins was an early settler, businessman and surveyor of the Western Reserve of Connecticut, which would later become northeast Ohio. He co-founded Akron, Ohio with Paul Williams in 1825. He served as a brigadier-general during the War of 1812....
co-founded Akron in 1825. His son, Colonel Simon Perkins
Colonel Simon Perkins
"Colonel" Simon Perkins was an businessman, farmer, state senator, and entrepreneur. He was born in Warren, Ohio in 1805, but spent most of his life in Akron, Ohio. He was the oldest son of Simon Perkins, the founder of the City of Akron...
, while living in Akron during the same time as abolitionist John Brown
John Brown (abolitionist)
John Brown was an American revolutionary abolitionist, who in the 1850s advocated and practiced armed insurrection as a means to abolish slavery in the United States. He led the Pottawatomie Massacre during which five men were killed, in 1856 in Bleeding Kansas, and made his name in the...
, went into business with Brown.
Noted athletes to have come from Akron include National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
players LeBron James
LeBron James
LeBron Raymone James is an American professional basketball player for the Miami Heat of the National Basketball Association . Nicknamed "King James", he was a three-time "Mr. Basketball" of Ohio in high school, and was highly promoted in the national media as a future NBA superstar while a...
and Stephen Curry
Stephen Curry (basketball)
-Freshman season:Before Stephen Curry played even one college game, head coach, Bob McKillop, said at a Davidson Alumni event, "Wait till you see Steph Curry...
, Basketball Hall of Fame
Basketball Hall of Fame
The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, located in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States, honors exceptional basketball players, coaches, referees, executives, and other major contributors to the game of basketball worldwide...
rs Gus "Honeycomb" Johnson
Gus Johnson (basketball)
Gus Johnson was a professional basketball player in the National Basketball Association . He spent nine seasons with the Baltimore Bullets, and a final season split between the Phoenix Suns and the Indiana Pacers of the ABA...
and Nate "The Great" Thurmond
Nate Thurmond
Nathaniel "Nate" Thurmond is a retired American basketball player. Dominant at both center and power forward, he was a seven-time All-Star and the first player in NBA history to record a quadruple-double....
, Baseball Hall of Famer Thurman Munson
Thurman Munson
Thurman Lee Munson was an American Major League Baseball catcher. He played his entire 11-year career for the New York Yankees...
, International Boxing Hall of Fame
International Boxing Hall of Fame
The modern International Boxing Hall of Fame is located in Canastota, New York, United States, within driving distance from the Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum in Cooperstown and the National Soccer Hall of Fame in Oneonta...
r Gorilla Jones
Gorilla Jones
William Jones William Jones (May 12, 1906 – January 4, 1982) William Jones (May 12, 1906 – January 4, 1982) (better known as Gorilla Jones, was an American boxer and Middleweight boxing champion of the world.-Professional Boxing Career:...
, and former Northwestern University
Northwestern University
Northwestern University is a private research university in Evanston and Chicago, Illinois, USA. Northwestern has eleven undergraduate, graduate, and professional schools offering 124 undergraduate degrees and 145 graduate and professional degrees....
and Notre Dame
University of Notre Dame
The University of Notre Dame du Lac is a Catholic research university located in Notre Dame, an unincorporated community north of the city of South Bend, in St. Joseph County, Indiana, United States...
coach Ara Parseghian
Ara Parseghian
Ara Raoul Parseghian is a former American football player and coach of Armenian descent. He served as the head football coach at Miami University , Northwestern University , and the University of Notre Dame , compiling a career college football record of 170–58–6...
.
Performing artists to come from Akron include bands such as Devo
Devo
Devo is an American band formed in 1973 consisting of members from Kent and Akron, Ohio. The classic line-up of the band includes two sets of brothers, the Mothersbaughs and the Casales . The band had a #14 Billboard chart hit in 1980 with the single "Whip It", and has maintained a cult...
and The Black Keys
The Black Keys
The Black Keys are an American rock duo consisting of vocalist/guitarist Dan Auerbach and drummer/producer Patrick Carney. The band was formed in Akron, Ohio, in 2001. As of October 2011, the band has sold over 2 million albums in the U.S....
, singers Chrissie Hynde
Chrissie Hynde
Christine Ellen "Chrissie" Hynde is an US musician best known as the leader of the rock/new wave band the Pretenders. She is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist, and has been the only constant member of the band throughout its history.-Early life and career:Hynde is the daughter of a part-time...
, James Ingram
James Ingram
James Ingram is an American soul musician. He is best known as a vocalist. He is also a self-taught musician who plays piano, guitar, bass, drums and keyboards...
, David Allan Coe famous outlaw country singer, actors and actresses Frank Dicopoulos
Frank Dicopoulos
Frank Dicopoulos is an American actor. He is the oldest of three children. Dicopoulos played the role of Frank Achilles Cooper Jr...
, David McLean, Melina Kanakaredes
Melina Kanakaredes
Melina Eleni Kanakaredes Constantinides is an American actress. She is widely known for two starring roles on U.S. prime-time television drama series; playing Detective Stella Bonasera in CSI: NY and portraying Dr...
, and Elizabeth Franz
Elizabeth Franz
Elizabeth Franz is an American stage and television actress.-Life and career:Franz was born Betty Jean Frankovich in Akron, Ohio, the daughter of a factory worker....
. Tool's Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan
Maynard James Keenan is an American rock singer, songwriter, musician, record producer, winemaker, and actor. Originally from Ohio, Keenan spent his high school and college years in Michigan. After serving in the Army in the early 1980s, he attended Kendall College of Art and Design in Grand Rapids...
is also from Akron.
Owner of over 400 patents, native Stanford R. Ovshinsky invented the widely used nickel-metal hydride battery. Richard Smalley
Richard Smalley
Richard Errett Smalley was the Gene and Norman Hackerman Professor of Chemistry and a Professor of Physics and Astronomy at Rice University, in Houston, Texas...
, winner of a Nobel Prize in Chemistry
Nobel Prize in Chemistry
The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded annually by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences to scientists in the various fields of chemistry. It is one of the five Nobel Prizes established by the will of Alfred Nobel in 1895, awarded for outstanding contributions in chemistry, physics, literature,...
for discovering buckminsterfullerene
Buckminsterfullerene
Buckminsterfullerene is a spherical fullerene molecule with the formula . It was first intentionally prepared in 1985 by Harold Kroto, James Heath, Sean O'Brien, Robert Curl and Richard Smalley at Rice University...
(buckyballs) was born in the city during 1943. Another native, the second female astronaut in Outer space
Outer space
Outer space is the void that exists between celestial bodies, including the Earth. It is not completely empty, but consists of a hard vacuum containing a low density of particles: predominantly a plasma of hydrogen and helium, as well as electromagnetic radiation, magnetic fields, and neutrinos....
Judith Resnik died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, leading to the deaths of its seven crew members. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida at 11:38 am EST...
and has the Resnik Moon crater
Resnik (crater)
Resnik is a small lunar crater that is located within the interior of the huge walled plain Apollo, on the Moon's far side. Apollo is a double-ringed formation with a central floor that has been flooded with basaltic lava. Resnik is located at the northern edge of the dark area of the surface...
named in her honor.
Sister cities
Akron has two sister cities, as designated by Sister Cities InternationalSister Cities International
Sister Cities International is a nonprofit citizen diplomacy network that creates and strengthens partnerships between United States and international communities. More than 2,000 cities, states and counties are partnered in 136 countries around the world...
:
| - Chemnitz Chemnitz Chemnitz is the third-largest city of the Free State of Saxony, Germany. Chemnitz is an independent city which is not part of any county and seat of the government region Direktionsbezirk Chemnitz. Located in the northern foothills of the Ore Mountains, it is a part of the Saxon triangle... , Saxony Saxony The Free State of Saxony is a landlocked state of Germany, contingent with Brandenburg, Saxony Anhalt, Thuringia, Bavaria, the Czech Republic and Poland. It is the tenth-largest German state in area, with of Germany's sixteen states.... , Germany (since 20 April 1997) - Kiryat Ekron Kiryat Ekron Kiryat Ekron or Qiryath Eqron is an Israeli town located on the coastal plain in the Central Region of Israel. Kiryat Ekron is named after the biblical Ekron, a major Philistine city that once existed at nearby Tel Mikne.... , Israel |
Further reading
- Akron Chamber of Commerce Year Book, (1913–14)
- The University of Akron Press
- Dyer, Joyce, Gum-Dipped: A Daughter Remembers Rubber Town, The University of Akron PressUniversity of Akron PressThe University of Akron Press is a non-profit university press that is a part of the University of Akron. Founded in 1988, the Press is currently directed by Thomas Bacher and is a member of Association of American University Presses....
: Akron (2003) - Endres, Kathleen, Akron's Better Half: Women's Clubs and the Humanization of a City, 1825–1925, The University of Akron Press: Akron (2006)
- Jones, Alfred Winslow, Life, Liberty, & Property: A Story of Conflict and a Measurement of Conflicting Rights, The University of Akron Press: Akron (1999)
- Russ Musarra and Chuck Ayers, Walks around Akron, The University of Akron Press: Akron (2007)
- S. A. Lane, Fifty Years and Over of Akron and Summit County, (Akron, 1892)
- S. Love and David Giffels, Wheels of Fortune: The Story of Rubber in Akron, Ohio, The University of Akron Press: Akron (1998)
- S. Love, Ian Adams, and Barney Taxel, Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, The University of Akron Press: Akron (2000)
- F. McGovern, Written on the Hills: The Making of the Akron Landscape, The University of Akron Press: Akron (1996)
- F. McGovern, Fun, Cheap, and Easy: My Life in Ohio Politics, 1949–1964, The University of Akron Press: Akron (2002).